Frank Feighan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for their submissions. We have heard about political interference from various sides. On the Oral History Archive, we had a similar archive here in different periods, much of which was very anaemic. Sometimes when one goes through the papers of 70 or 80 years ago, the testimony is very vague. In the light of the duty to report crime, a republican or a loyalist paramilitary will have a difficulty in trusting the process. While I acknowledge that safeguards should be in place, as we saw in the case of the Boston tapes, with which I am not as familiar as I should be, this will be very difficult. It is helpful that people want to tell their stories, both on the island of Ireland and further afield. However, we will not get to the core of the issue if complete independence is not guaranteed. Judging by the delegates' comments, it does not appear that this independence has been provided for. I ask them to elaborate.