Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael)

I come from a Border county and have three young boys in school in a Border town. We breathed a collective sigh of relief ten years ago when the peace process was unveiled and the events of recent days have been greatly traumatic for those of us in the Border area, as they have been for the rest of the country. It has been particularly traumatic and disturbing in our area that these atrocious, reprehensible murders have taken place.

Those who perpetrated the murders do not have a democratic mandate. On top of this, they do not have the right to appoint themselves arbiters of the country's destiny or executioners. They do not have this right in moral law nor do they have a democratic basis for that.

There must be significant co-operation between the police forces on the two sides of the Border to deal with the issue. We must literally seal the Border. I ask the Leader of the House to speak immediately with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform after this session to ensure that even if there is disruption, every cross-Border movement is checked. The Border should be checked and sealed off. There should be very rigorous support of the Garda Síochána for the activities of the police force in Northern Ireland. There should be no ambiguity or lack of co-operation in the matter. There must be an open, transparent and high level of police activity on this side of the Border. Will the Leader specifically ensure that happens and is visible in the coming days?

My next remarks are distinct from those of my learned colleague, Senator Harris, for whom I have great personal regard. To be very fair to the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister in Northern Ireland, as I was coming up today in the car the Deputy First Minister, Mr. McGuinness, very unequivocally condemned the murders and asked for co-operation with the PSNI, which should be welcomed. It was a very clear statement.

We need a very visible, open and outward sign of police support on this side of the Border and police activity along the Border. People must be apprehended. In so far as Senator Harris is correct that the names are known to police, there should be follow-up activity and people's movements should be checked. A huge effort should be made on the part of this State. It is a crucial time in the history of the State and morality, Christian and religious ethics and the social and economic future of our country depend on this. Will the Leader seek a specific meeting with the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and ask for that level of activity?