Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I join with colleagues in wishing President Michael D. Higgins well on his historic visit to the UK today. It is a wonderful day that finally cements the close relationship that has developed between our two nations in recent times.

On this historic day it is important to remember all of the people who lost their lives during the Troubles since the early 1970s. I applaud the many people who played their part in bringing us to this historic day. I am thinking of everybody from the people involved the Sunningdale agreement right through to recent times, and we must also remember all of the former taoisigh and politicians from both North and South, who got us to this very historic day.

I join in welcoming the publication by the Government of the terms of reference for a commission of investigation to be known as the Fennelly Inquiry. Everybody who looks at the matter impartially will agree that the terms of reference are very wide ranging. I would like Mr. Justice Fennelly to reach his conclusions at the earliest possible date and well within the 12 months that has been mentioned. What is really worrying about the events in Cork and the death of Sophie Toscan du Plantier - a case which has been lost sight of in recent days - is that there is a murderer on the loose who killed that innocent woman in west Cork back in 1996. I call on the Garda to re-open the case and redouble their efforts to ensure that whoever was responsible for the murder of that innocent woman at Christmas 1996 is brought to justice, as a matter of urgency.