Mary Seery Kearney (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Vice Chairman. Following on from Deputy Dillon’s questions, it is somehow palatable for us as a State to consider mass graves in, perhaps, the context of the Great Famine.

Dealing with them in this instance, our response thus far is the creation of this agency and bespoke legislation and this unprecedented step in the State. In the nuts and bolts of it, where does Professor Murphy think the establishment of this agency should begin? What should be its first steps?

I also have two quick questions. Is Professor Murphy saying there needs to be power within the agency for a coronial jurisdiction of some sort, or something similar? In the pre-briefings on this, we talked about having forensic specialists on site at the particular time who are answerable to the agency.

Given the fact that reporting to the Minister is an aspect of this, is the Minister not accountable, both to this committee and also to the Oireachtas insofar as it is open to parliamentary questions, oral questions and statements in the House, in order that there is accountability and follow-up commencements from a Seanad point of view? I do not see it as not being synonymous with accountability if no one is reporting to the Minister. I would like to hear Professor Murphy's comments on that.