[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 30 (Friday, February 16, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H1862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            NORTHERN IRELAND

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise this evening in amazement at what 
can only be described as the utter inflexibility of the Reverend Ian 
Paisley. Mr. Paisley's dislike of the Catholic population in the north 
of Ireland is well documented and needs no repeating on the floor of 
this body. Suffice it to say that John Hume's observation ``if the word 
`no' was removed from the English language, Ian Paisley would be 
speechless'' is an accurate description of Mr. Paisley's ability for 
thoughtful negotiation and compromise.
  What does deserve recounting here, however, are the remarkable 
strides that have been taken by Sinn Fein in the quest for a just and 
lasting peace for all the people of Northern Ireland, as well as the 
hard work and dedication shown by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahearn and Prime 
Minister Tony Blair in this endeavor.
  Prime Minister Blair has not always used the full force of his office 
to secure peace on the island of Ireland. However, he has shown himself 
to be a true friend to the Irish people and a strident negotiator for 
peace, and I am proud to commend him for that. His diligence and the 
pursuit of peace stands in stark contrast, however, to that of Mr. 
Paisley.
  Mr. Speaker, heroic efforts have been put forth by all parties, 
republican, nationalist and unionists alike, to address this situation. 
It began with the signing of the Good Friday Accords in 1998 and the 
commitment of the IRA to end its armed campaign and commit to the 
development of purely political and exclusively peaceful means. The IRA 
then went on to put their arms completely and verifiably beyond use, 
which was confirmed by the Independent International Commission on 
Decommissioning.
  Then, most recently, Sinn Fein voted in its extraordinary Ard Fheis, 
or political convention, to support the policing institutions. This 
includes a police service that has been shown by the independent Police 
Ombudsman to have engaged in collusion with loyalist paramilitaries, 
resulting in the death of at least 10 people, both Catholic and 
Protestant.
  Despite all of this, Mr. Paisley has refused to enter into government 
with Sinn Fein and put the needs of his constituency and that of the 
citizens of Northern Ireland above those of his own petty hatred and 
extremist allies.
  Mr. Paisley cannot continue to stand in the way of peace and justice 
for the people of Northern Ireland. The people of the North have waited 
far too long and sacrificed far too much for him to continue to be a 
roadblock to peace. Responsible leadership is needed on the unionist 
side of the North to show that extremism, bigotry and hatred will not 
be tolerated.
  Mr. Speaker, I have taken to this floor many times in the last few 
years to talk about the situation in Northern Ireland. The progress 
which has been made is nothing short of remarkable, considering the 
violence that has plagued this area literally for centuries. But the 
one constant that those of us who care about a just and lasting peace 
have seen is Mr. Paisley, increasingly out of touch, afraid of losing 
his grip on power, and more interested in living with the past than 
embracing the promise of tomorrow.
  It is well past time that Reverend Ian Paisley move along and let the 
people of Northern Ireland get on with their lives.

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