Kathleen O'Meara (Labour)

I agree we need to look at the mechanism for establishing a new context for the peace process in Northern Ireland. It is our duty as Members of the Oireachtas to look at how that context may be created and the mechanism. I do not know what that mechanism could be but it is important that we start to look for it quickly. In line with this, we should ask the leadership of Sinn Féin, which has appeared to indicate a level of leadership and commitment to the peace process in recent years, to state its position in this regard. What does this commitment look like and what will it be in the future? I spoke to a member of Sinn Féin in Nenagh over the weekend, who is involved in democratic politics in the town, and he said he was devastated by what has emerged in recent weeks. I asked him, as I would any member of his party, who runs Sinn Féin. Do the hard men run the party? We are at a crossroads and it is time for the Sinn Féin leadership to declare its commitment to the peace process and also to indicate who owns it.

For our part, ownership of the peace process from the nation's viewpoint must be based on democracy and the rule of law. What has been emerging, however, is a secret world of illegality and criminality that has gone on for far too long and the extent of which has shocked and horrified many people. That must end. This is an opportunity to end it, but what must happen is for the leadership of Sinn Féin to declare it over, once and for all.