Ms Margaret Ritchie:

I welcome Ms Urwin and Ms Cadwallader. I had the courtesy of Ms Cadwallader's presentation in the House of Commons a couple of months ago.
I support the need to find the truth so as to ensure that the elements of the Haass outcomes dealing with the past are implemented by way of legislation. This matter builds on the Eames-Bradley report. Collusion fuelled the conflict. People are looking for truth, some measure of justice and accountability from the British and Irish Governments.
I take Ms Urwin's point, which was re-emphasised by Deputy Smith, about the two Dáil motions that the British Government has failed to recognise or acknowledge. Those of us who are Members of the House of Commons have a duty and responsibility to pursue the British Government in this regard. We will do so.
Recently, we learned courtesy of The Guardianthat the British Government had Ministry of Defence files at Swadlincote in Derbyshire, many of which related to the North and state collusion. As late as June 2013, the Historical Enquiries Team, HET, did not know that these files were available or what they contained. We must force them out into the open. As has been stated, there could be information in them that relates directly to what happened in the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and could be of help to Justice for the Forgotten. The committee could pursue this matter and make overtures to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the British ambassador. We in the House of Commons will follow it through. A colleague of Ms Cadwallader's, Mr. Ian Cobain of The Guardian, is also anxious to pursue these matters.
Ms Cadwallader has done us all a significant service with Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland. She has shone a light where others were afraid to do so, namely, on collusion, its impact and how weapons that belonged to state forces were used and misused to kill innocent people in many parts of the North. I know some of their families well. Those people eschewed violence. All they wanted was to be a part of the democratic process and bring about a shared and reconciled society in the North and on this island.
As Deputy Smith stated, it is important that the Irish Government put pressure on the British Government to bring this necessary truth and justice forward so that we can put to bed once and for all the terrible atrocities of the past. Of equal importance, we must examine the element raised by Ms Urwin, that being, the Haass talks did not consider other victims. A light must be shone on this as well. The other elements of the Haass talks must result in implementation, legislation and resolution, since these are the most important issues. We must never forget the trauma, pain and suffering of all of the victims and survivors.