Seán Conlan (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegates. To lead on from the previous session, the point was made by Mr. Stack at the end of his submission about the lack of supports for victims in the Republic in comparison to what was available in Northern Ireland. The issue was raised by the speaker for Innocent Victims United in a previous presentation. This is glaringly obvious and needs to be addressed. It should have been addressed years ago and why it has not been is something we need to investigate. It is important that the committee raise this issue now and try to deal with it on behalf of the victims groups, both North and South. I was interested to hear that contribution because it tied in with what Mr. Donaldson had said during the last session about the comparison between what was available to the victims of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings or members of the security forces in the South and what was available in Northern Ireland, where I know that it is inadequate. The presentations have made it quite clear that pensions and victim supports in the North are inadequate, but they are non-existent in the Republic. This issue needs to be dealt with immediately.