Thomas Pringle (Donegal South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for their interesting presentations. As a former member of Donegal County Council, I wish to start by asking Ms Fullerton a question. I remember when sitting in the chamber in Lifford seeing Eddie Fullerton's picture looking down on the chamber. It is hard to believe that 25 years later we still have no answers regarding the investigation. What she has related today about the investigation is very stark. Does she see any potential for any historical investigations-type unit in the South to get answers about Eddie Fullerton's assassination for her and her family just to see what kind of process could be developed in the South? Does she believe that would help or does she believe that co-operation with the ombudsman in the North is the way to go? How could we progress it in the South?

For Mr. Stack and the victims group we may have an opportunity in the South to go further than what is envisaged in the Stormont House Agreement. How could we develop that and go forward in terms of recognising victims and dealing with historical cases? Perhaps we should look at that in the South as a way of highlighting the differences. Perhaps by doing things properly here if the will is here, we might be able to highlight how things can row back in the Six Counties in particular.

I am very struck by the presentations of Mr. Teggart and Mr. Kelly. The Ballymurphy families hope that the historical investigations unit might provide an opportunity, but then when one looks at how that will probably row back in terms of legislation over the next couple of months, that is one of the most disappointing things. We have the Stormont House Agreement which is supposed to be an international agreement and then we get legislation that is supposed to come from that that will be watered down and probably rowed back on through the process in Westminster. Do the witnesses have faith that it will deliver for them?

In the case of the Bloody Sunday families I believe there is a very real risk that they could be forced into the HIU process as well. I think it gives a very stark outline of the risks involved and the potential for slippage on all these processes as well. Every agreement seems to be an attempt to push things forward and nothing is really happening in terms of progressing things for victims and their families.