Mary White (Fianna Fail)

Thank you, a Chathaoirligh, for allowing an extension because I thought the timing went a little adrift earlier this afternoon.

I do not want to go back over everything, but I would like to remind everybody in the Seanad that the 1921 Treaty gave 26 counties political freedom from Britain – after about 600 years – but there were Six Counties which were left disenfranchised. There were half a million Nationalists and Catholics left afloat in Northern Ireland. They were suppressed by the Unionist communities and trapped by them for many years, which gave birth to the continued life of the IRA. During the 30 years' war, our Government neglected looking after the Nationalist community and their rights. Those half a million people who were left in the Six Counties saw our Government as looking after their needs – and they seek this continuously.

I draw attention to what was said by the director of the CBI: direct rule in Northern Ireland could lead to a serious loss of inward investment. He said it sends out "the wrong message, especially for inward investment" and "our biggest concern is the negative image that comes out. We have to work twice as hard to get the message out that it is business as usual.".

Sinn Féin must manage itself because of poor public relations arising out of what happened in Stormont during the summer.