THE Seanad suspended normal business for almost an hour yesterday to allow members pay tribute to crime reporter Veronica Guerin whose murder shocked the entire House.
The Minister of State at the Department of Health, Mr Austin Currie, on behalf of the Minister for Justice and the Government, condemned this barbaric act in the strongest possible terms.
"I pledge that no effort will be spared to bring the perpetrators to justice. There will be no hiding place for these killers no matter who they are or where they come from, whatever their motivation.
"Let senators have no doubt about this and, more importantly, let those responsible be in no doubt about our commitment and determination to bring them to justice for this cowardly inhuman act."
The leader of the House, Mr Maurice Manning, condemned what he described as this awful and callous killing. It was the first time that journalists had had to pay the supreme sacrifice and there could be no mercy for those who did it. This was an attack on society by those who believed they were above the law.
Mr G.V. Wright, the Fianna Fail leader, said he had been a personal friend for more than 20 years of both Veronica and her husband, Graham, and had attended their wedding. He was deeply shocked at this callous murder and no resources should be spared to bring the killers to justice.