Mrs. Rosalie Flanagan:

I thank the Chairman for inviting us to attend this meeting. The global pandemic has had a major impact on many aspects of all our lives for almost two years now, including the need to be cautious about travelling and meeting others. While I would very much have welcomed the opportunity to appear before the committee in person today, and it is disappointing to be unable to do so, I am most grateful that I can attend virtually instead and look forward to our discussion.

I am also grateful to my fellow commissioner, Tim Dalton, for setting out the role and purpose of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains and the ongoing efforts to complete our work.

As Mr. Dalton has said, I was appointed as the UK commissioner in January this year. I was honoured to accept this appointment to such an important body and I hope to have the opportunity to contribute to the successful location of some or all of the victims who have not yet been found and to giving their families the chance to give them the funerals and burials they have so long desired.

While we have not yet been able to meet face to face, I have had a number of virtual meetings with colleagues since my appointment. It goes without saying, however, that the work of the investigators has been greatly affected and progress hampered by the Covid-19 restrictions. We are very conscious that the three people whose remains have not yet been located disappeared in the 1970s and those who may have information which can be of assistance to us are now likely to be in their 70s or older. I hope sincerely that as we emerge from this period, we will see new information coming forward before it is too late.

As the committee knows, an important aspect of the work of the commission over the years has been meeting and supporting the family members of the disappeared, both those whose remains have been recovered and those for whom the search continues. Unfortunately, it has not yet been possible for us to attend any events with the families this year. It is something I hope we can do perhaps in 2022.

Members of the committee may be aware of the WAVE Trauma Centre which provides support and care to anyone bereaved, injured or traumatised through the Troubles in Northern Ireland. WAVE provides particular care to the families of the disappeared. I would like to acknowledge and pay tribute to the tremendous support that the WAVE organisation, and its CEO, Ms Sandra Peake in particular, have provided to the families over the years and continue to provide during the challenging circumstances of the pandemic.

In conclusion, I would reiterate the vital importance to us of new information and urge the members of this committee to take any steps they can to assist us in obtaining it. I am pleased to hand over now to Mr. Geoff Knupfer, the head of our investigation team, to provide some further details about what has happened since the commissioners last appeared before this committee and to respond to any questions committee members may have.