Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The common theme from all the witnesses is that they are all asking why. I was interested to hear what Ms Fullerton said about the Garda not having a proper investigation. Mr. Stack is saying the same. They are coming from different angles, but both are saying there are agendas but that the agendas appear to be different. I would be interested to hear the witnesses expand on that. The witnesses are asking why they would not investigate. The witnesses said it was because of State collusion with agents in the North, that for the groups the witnesses represent it is because it is recognition that there was a war, conflict or whatever. In both cases it comes across as really incompetent. Is it deliberate incompetence?

In Ms Fullerton's situation, was there follow through on forensic evidence in the house? I am aware that her house had annexes and so on, but these people seemed to know exactly where to go.

Regarding the group Mr. Stack represents, gardaí were investigating members of the Garda who were killed, yet he is saying they did what they did deliberately even at that time. Is it similar to the case of Eddie Fullerton in that evidence went missing? It was lax, incompetent and so on. This is the first time I have heard any of this, so I am not aware of it. I am aware of them in the Fullerton case because again the families have briefed us and so on. I think the witness is right about the victims not being more involved in the negotiations leading up to the peace process. However, I do not know if we would have got an agreement if victims had been centrally involved in it. I think that all those different groups were coming together and bringing their own constituency forward and so on. It might not have happened. I am surmising; I do not know. I think the Unionists would have huge problems bringing victims in. I think they were forces that were out there.

We are listening to what the witnesses are saying on some of the things that need to be done. This process is mostly about listening to the witnesses. It has to be about coming up with solutions and answers. The witnesses should feed their views into the committee and at least we can put it in the system.