Brendan Smith urges full public inquiry into murder and collusion

Thank you very much, I can hear it again. Firstly, could I just compliment John on presenting the case with such clarity and with great composure as well. It cannot be easy to recount the events surrounding the murder of one's father, as you said, at the dinner table in your own home, and to be witnessed by your mother and your siblings as well. It just goes without saying the pain and the appalling circumstances that your family were throwing into due to that awful murder and the collusion that brought that murder about. As my colleague, Senator Neil Blaney, said, I just want to reiterate on behalf of the Fianna Fáil party that we believe that there has to be a full public inquiry. That is our firm belief, and I heartily endorse Senator O'Donnell's motion. As has been said by colleagues, this is an important week, as the Secretary of State has indicated, that he will be making the decision before the end of the month. I would agree that the deliberations and the outcome of this meeting should be conveyed to the Office of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland as well, that we have the Oireachtas in different, be it in the plenary session, the Shannad, and also a committee calling for a full public inquiry. Successive governments have reaffirmed this position since the agreement was made in Weston Park in 2001. You know, when two sovereign governments make an agreement, you expect the agreement to be honoured. The Irish government honoured their part of that agreement, and it is way beyond time for the British government to honour the commitments they made as well. I just want to say that, John, you and your mother and other family members have campaigned with great dignity and with great courage over the years, and it cannot be easy to always retain such dignity and such composure. I want to compliment you and you exemplify that so well here this morning in your powerful presentation as well. I listened to the Taoiseach at Leader's Questions on Tuesday and he reiterated that he had met your mother and yourself on Monday. I think it was, and he used the phrase that the full weight of the Taoiseach's office would be behind your family in your quest to get a full public inquiry in your campaign and in your efforts. I think I paraphrase the teacher accurately. Again, as has been said by colleagues, there has been international interest and support for your efforts. I think the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in September is an important intervention as well. I just want to reiterate that it is sad that we have to be discussing such an issue 31 years after the mother and father, nearly so many years after an agreement made between two sovereign governments that have not been honoured. Of course, as Senator Crockwell referred to other horrendous deeds and loss of life and injury inflicted on so many people due to collusion and due to the atrocities perpetrated and supported by state forces as well. At this Committee, often in the past we discussed the Dublin Monaghan bombings, where the Oireachtas, on a number of occasions, have unanimously appealed to the British Government to give access to an independent legal person, access to the papers surrounding the Dublin Monaghan bombings, the atrocities and other atrocities that have taken place in my own constituency in Cavernman and and throughout Northern Ireland as well. Those are all legacy issues that need to be addressed. No matter how painful it is for whoever or whatever state organisation, the truth has to be uppermost in everybody's efforts. But today is the day that we are concentrating on this particular motion. And again, I compliment you, John, and your family on the great dignity that you have carried out your campaign. We sincerely hope that the campaign for a full public inquiry will be reached within days. So, thank you again for your presentation. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.