I, too, would welcome a debate on the North. We debated the matter in this Chamber a number of weeks ago. On that occasion the contributions made by most of the Senators were comprised of a long list of political charges against Sinn Féin. Nothing constructive was offered on how to solve the problems with the peace process or successfully conclude the talks.

I wish to respond directly to Senator Marc MacSharry who asked about the claims made by MI5 in a report that had been published. I recommend that people read the report in full and not take their cue from headlines broadcast by the media or from anywhere else. I urge people to read what the report actually states. In it MI5 shared its view that some members of the IRA believed the army council had a direction in regard to Sinn Féin. I wish to state that is untrue. I have been an elected member of the Ard Chomhairle of Sinn Féin for the past three years and was elected on the floor of the Sinn Féin Ard-Fheis. The media come to my party's Ard-Fheis every year. I am elected democratically by the membership of my party because that is how it works.

Senator Marc MacSharry wants to talk about criminality. I can tell him that the only political party that I am aware of that had, in its ranks, people who were convicted of criminality and for taking brown envelopes of cash and stuffing them into their pockets, is his own. These acts went to the very highest level of his party. If he wants to have that debate, my party will have it with him. As I said in this Chamber a number of weeks ago when we debated crime, it does not matter to me who is involved in criminality. If some former members of the IRA are involved in crime, they should be ruthlessly pursued by the authorities in the North and the South. Yesterday in the Dáil my party's justice spokesperson, of whom the Senator spoke about, supported stronger cross-Border initiatives to bring the people in question to justice. Sinn Féin wants such people to be brought before the courts and convicted. Sinn Féin and its members have put their lives on the line by standing up to such individuals who are involved in criminality in Border areas and the North. I contrast the leadership given by Martin McGuinness on all of these issues with the leadership of the Fianna Fáil Party that has, for political and electoral reasons, taken a harder line than that of the DUP. Let us contrast all of this with what Mr. Peter Robinson, MLA, said and did yesterday. He is now back in the talks and wants the DUP back in the Executive. That is what we should focus on. I would welcome a constructive debate. I hope we will look at the real issues, not at contrived crises, which happens all of the time for political and electoral purposes. We must identify the real issues in the peace process in the North that need to be addressed in the same spirit that was applied to the process which was supported by people like Bertie Ahern, Tony Blair, Martin McGuinness, MLA, Deputy Gerry Adams and Albert Reynolds. They were all part of a constructive peace process. Let us get back to that type of politics. We must ensure we make the agreements work, that the institutions stay in place and that we have institutions in the North that work in the best interests of all communities. I would welcome a debate and hope the Leader can arrange it as soon as possible.

I agree with Senator Marc MacSharry and some aspects of what was said by Senator David Cullinane. We all wish the talks well in the North. The two separate reports are in agreement, as regards headlines, that a former paramilitary organisation is still in existence, albeit not for military or terrorist activities. Unfortunately, in the supposedly democratic society on both sides of the Border, particularly on the other side of the Border in the south Armagh district, there are some crime families who may have been members of an illegal organisation that run the areas as though they are still their personal fiefdoms. In the area I mentioned there is a proliferation of blue metal community alert type notices imbedded in walls here and there which some Members have probably seen.

The citizenry are being advised that if they have anything to report in terms of disturbance in the community or otherwise, they should ring this number, but it is not the number of the police force. There should be only one police force.

Does the Senator know the number?

It is in the notice.

The community alert notices are everywhere. That is what they are about.

We are not getting into that issue now.

Will Senator David Cullinane, please, allow Senator Paul Coghlan to continue? He did not interrupt the Senator.

The point I am making is that the notices purport to give the impression that those involved are the law.

There are community alert notices in Waterford.

Unfortunately, in this area there is a fear factor and people, for historical or other reasons, do not report to the police.

The MP is a Sinn Féin MP.

Unfortunately, there is not normal policing as we know it in the South or other areas in the North. This issue needs to be addressed. There is so much more that all of us can say arising out of the two reports and as such I would welcome a debate on the matter.