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

What strikes me today is that while the session is on the legacy of the past, it is actually about the present and the future for the victims' groups presenting here today. For most of them, the conflict has not ended because they are still trying to deal with, and get through, it. The focus today is on the Stormont House Agreement and the opportunity it provides. The Committee on the Administration of Justice representative gave us a briefing on the outline of the legislation, which does not augur well for the process that will develop. At this stage, the legislation does not appear to be right and there will be an uphill struggle to get legislation that reflects what is needed in the future. Is Mr. Gormally optimistic at this stage or pessimistic in relation to it and what can we do here to ensure that some of the process can be improved?

We need some sort of historical investigations unit in the South also to work hand in hand with whatever is established in the Six Counties. We have the Eddie Fullerton case, Justice for the Forgotten and the Brian Stack case. Could the Government in the South be proactive and start the process on a unilateral basis and in that way put pressure on the British Government to engage properly with the process?