Brendan Smith condemns British amnesty proposals on Troubles

Thank you, Achahirleach. I'm glad that we're having this debate again, having had one just a number of weeks ago, following the commemoration of the awful atrocity in Derry on Bloody Sunday. I'm glad that Deputy Gannon referred earlier to the work of people like Stephen Travers and Eugene Reavy. Actually, Deputy Crowe, who's here with me, had an opportunity earlier today to have a very long and detailed conversation with Stephen Travers. I know Stephen over many years, both him and Eugene, and I know that they have drawn a lot of attention. their inspiration for the great work that they do in the whole area of speaking to groups and meeting with other families who are victims as well. They draw great inspiration from the work of Seamus Mallon and the leadership that he showed over the years. I know that the late Seamus Mallon, an outstanding Irish nationalist, he encouraged them to carry out their work. And I know that my former Dáil colleague and good friend Rory O'Hanlon has been similarly supportive of the work of the work of Eugene and Stephen. And I think it's very important that we recognise the work of different individuals and different groups. And I think of many of the groups throughout Northern Ireland in particular, that wave trauma, that are powerful advocates for victims and for advocating on behalf of people in regard to their particular needs. I know that they have set up the truth and reconciliation platform. They have spoken to hundreds and hundreds of people who, who suffered similar to themselves in many, in many different fora. And they have found it very, very important that people have the opportunities to outline what they have been through and what they would like to see achieved. I know that they have been through and what they have been through and what they have been through. And I think one of the things that they would talk about is the need for our young people to know what went on in our country. And it's so disappointing when you hear of so many people today who don't study the subject of history at second level school. I think both history and geography are basic parameters for all of us in regard to what we need to know about our own region, about our own country and about our own backgrounds. The proposals published by the British government last July for a statute of limitations, basically an amnesty, ending criminal investigation and prosecutions related to troubles related incidents, as well as inquests and civil litigation have caused very, very, very understandably, very significant distress, alarm and disquiet all across this island and in Britain. It's absolutely an appalling proposal. Those proposals represent a very marked departure, a fundamental departure from what the British government agreed with the Irish government, the political parties in Northern Ireland in the Stormont House Agreement. And I said in this House previously, that agreement was hard fought for and it was hard won and it should be honoured and it should be implemented. It puts the parameters and the structures in place to deal with legacy issues and indeed more recently, the published reports by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman reveals absolutely shocking behaviour. I suppose those of us who read Anne Cadwallader's book in the past in relation to the activities of the Glenane Gang and others weren't maybe shocked by some of the findings, but it brought it home in very, very clear focus the terrible atrocities that were facilitated by state forces. The Ombudsman described collusive behaviour, collusion, essentially the use of agents and weapons including the handing back of weapons to loyalist paramilitaries. That was done by agents of a state, absolutely deplorable behaviour and mention was made earlier by colleagues here in regard to the terrible atrocity in Sean Graham bookmakers and the terrible loss of life on that awful tragic day as well. The Ombudsman report has found very strong evidence of investigative intelligence failures and collusive behaviours by the then RUC, including the continued unjustifiable use of informants involved in serious criminality and murder. And crucially, and very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, totally unacceptable, unacceptable, the return of weapons to loyalist paramilitaries. I commend the Ombudsman on producing this report and it just lays out in very stark detail what people went through and what the type of behaviour was. Minister, we have often discussed both in committee and in bilateral meetings as well, as well as a question time here in the Dáil, the failure of the British Government to respond to the three unanimous requests of this Parliament in relation to access to papers and files pertaining to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974. It's absolutely deplorable that they have not responded and again I spoke on a number of occasions over the last 12 months again in this House about the bombing in Bell Torbat in 1972 when two young innocent people were murdered, Geraldine O'Reilly and Patrick Stanley. And again I put information on the record of this House about 12 months ago where there is conclusive evidence that that bomb was brought across the border from County Fermanagh and a clear link with loyalist paramilitaries as well. And again take the opportunity to commend the work of Professor Edward Bourke of the University of Nottingham that has given us that material that I was glad to put on the record of this House from the point of view of it being given to our agencies, to the Department of Justice and to Ingard the Shea Conna to pursue. We want to see the truth realised in relation to those desperate atrocities. Thank you.