The IRA are pretty skilled in public relations, they can always think up a good excuse, no matter how horrible the atrocity they commit. Has the Minister any idea of why the IRA have constantly blown up the electricity interconnector between this State and Northern Ireland? It is against the interests of the ordinary man in the street and as the IRA are as good at pretending they represent the ordinary person, they and their political representatives, Sinn Féin, should be asked to explain why they have constantly disrupted this connection. The Minister said he will do everything in his power to see that matters return to normality. Will he contact their official political organ, Sinn Féin, to see if they can give a guarantee that any future connection will not be disrupted?

I do not have any helpful remarks in connection with Deputy Deasy's question. It is extremely difficult to find any sound reasoning for the actions of the IRA in relation to this and so many other matters. There are no answers to the slaughter of innocent people or to the dislocation of a service of that kind which is aimed at helping the community. To find answers in those areas has defeated the best abilities of Members and others. We can only hope that common sense will ultimately prevail. To a degree that we can support——

Have they ever given a reason?

Not that I know of.