I join colleagues in extending our sympathy to the people of Paris and all of the families who lost loved ones in the Charlie Hebdo killings. It brings home very clearly to us all how vulnerable we all are. It would be appropriate for the Minister for Justice and Equality to come before the House to update us at an early stage on any potential security threats in this country. I agree with what Senator David Norris said about human life and that many innocent people lose their lives every day in war-torn parts of the world. We should be deeply concerned about eports on young children dying from the cold in refugee camps along the Turkish border close to Syria.

During this term I would like a discussion with the Minister for Foreign and Trade, Deputy Charles Flanagan, on the situation in Syria and associated conflicts.

I strongly support the actions called for by Senators Jim D'Arcy and Diarmuid Wilson on the pollution of watercourses, the loss of revenue to the State as a result of fuel laundering and petrol stretching and the damage inflicted on vehicles on an ongoing basis as a result of this criminality. This is a very small island and it should be possible to put a stop to it. I am deeply concerned about something I read in some of the newspapers over the weekend, which is that as part of the peace process there may be an understanding the authorities should go easy on paramilitaries now involved in criminality.

The Senator is way over time.

If that is the case, we certainly need to have the meeting called for by Senator Diarmuid Wilson between the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister to sort out this issue once and for all in order that the criminality raised as an issue in the House on an ongoing basis and perpetrated by republicans is stopped.