Declan Breathnach (Louth, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As a non-member of this committee, when I saw the agenda, I was delighted to come along. At the weekend, I attended a funeral in Dundalk of a former German refugee from the Second World War. There were three of his original comrades there who spoke about how they came to Glencree, which was the original refugee centre during a portion of the Second World War. I could not help but think of the importance of the iconic Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation.

More importantly, I came here today to support, acknowledge and thank Mr. Hynes, Ms Walshe and their staff, and Mr. Hynes mentioned the voluntary board of 12 people, who have impressed me greatly. I am delighted to be part of what they are trying to achieve. People talk about the heroes of conflict but I see them as the unsung heroes of conflict resolution.

It has been a privilege to be involved since I was elected to the Dáil. I acknowledge the work our guests do tirelessly, to use their choice of word, and behind the scenes. More importantly, as someone who - as I often say - lives the Border, I understand, like most people, where they are coming from and the importance of discretion. They are not on the radar in the way they should be to get the centre up and running and in that regard, I support them and wish them well.

Our guests spoke about the need for people to engage. There are initiatives such as Comhairle na nÓg, youth parliaments and so on. It has struck me, as a public representative of 25 years, that often we do not know our own local public representatives on the far side of a little drain or what they are doing and vice versa. There are great opportunities for Glencree with schools, youth leaders of various persuasions and local public representatives. Since I was elected to the House, I have been struck by the need for further engagement, such as is done through the Good Friday Agreement and the British-Irish Parliamentary Association, to get to know our public representatives of different faiths, hues and opinions. Perhaps we would have a better understanding of one another if we did more of that.

I hope our guests will keep up the good work because they are making strides. Without divulging any sensitive information, given that I am conscious of the discretion of the centre's work, it is important to mention one aspect of their work of which they may not even be aware. An elderly father of one of the first disappeared victims, when people did not talk about the disappeared, eventually visited the scene of where his son was murdered, shortly before he died. That, in itself, is a testament to the centre's work. It was a simple gesture, not through Glencree but through other organisations with which it has worked, that linked the father with the site. I am also aware of many similar cases.

I commend our guests on their work. That was my purpose for attending the meeting and I thank the committee for allowing me to say a few words.