Seanad report: Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams had been responsible for, and had supported, more deaths than anyone else in this country, Shane Ross (Ind) said when he demanded to know what action the leader of the House would take against Mary White (FF) for positive remarks she had made about Mr Adams.
Mr Ross said he was concerned about "apologies for terrorism emanating from the Government benches".
Earlier, Martin Mansergh (FF) said the Government should congratulate the Spanish prime minister on the achievement of the Eta ceasefire. Mr Zapatero had, like the Taoiseach and some of his predecessors, taken risks for peace. Dr Mansergh said that tribute should also be paid to Redemptorist priest Father Alec Reid who had seemingly played nearly as important a role in the Basque peace process as he had in the Northern Irish peace process.
Ms White noted Father Reid had praised Mr Adams for having spent 14 years in trying to achieve the peace process. People like this cleric should be listened to.
David Norris (Ind) said that while he welcomed the Eta ceasefire announcement, he felt it was time that organisations such as this woke up. "They are a disgrace to Europe, just as the Provisional thugs."
Mr Ross said Gerry Adams had spent 30 years supporting terrorism before he had found out anything about peace.
"The word 'peace' and the name 'Adams' are contradictory."
He hoped the leader of the House would take action against Ms White, and he also hoped that Ms White would not get a general election nomination in Dublin South East if she was going to come out with that sort of propaganda.
Ms White said Mr Ross was jealous. He had been in the House for 20 years but had never succeeded in being elected to the Dáil.
Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources Noel Dempsey deplored what he described as attacks on civil servants over the Sea Fisheries and Maritime Jurisdiction Bill.
The Bill was passed by the House.
Mr Dempsey said he had rarely seen in almost 20 years as a TD such a concerted and organised campaign against any piece of legislation. He believed in robust debate, but he also felt that certain limits should not be breached.
During the debate on the Bill - though not in the Seanad - remarks had been made which were totally out of order and had been unfair to civil servants dealing with the Bill.
He said personalised attacks had been made on civil servants. The integrity of the Civil Service should not be attacked in this way.