Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Last night on BBC Northern Ireland, the "Spotlight" programme detailed what has happened with Quinn Industrial Holdings and the campaign of intimidation, in particular the appalling things that were done to Kevin Lunney. I want to make a few points about these matters. First, there is no point in scoring cheap political points but there has clearly been an ongoing failure of policing in the Border region. Signs of an intimidatory kind should not be allowed to be put up anywhere on this island and should be removed the instant they go up. The craven attitude of some people who do not understand that the rule of law must be upheld not only applies in the Border region but it applied in Cherry Orchard where Dublin City Council was advising building contractors to pay off gangland people who were extorting money from them.