Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like you, a Chathaoirligh, I welcome our three guests and their contributions. I commend them on the important work that they are carrying out on behalf of the State, and also Mrs. Rosalie Flanagan, as nominee of the British Government.

I proposed, in 2018, that the commission would be invited to address this committee's predecessor. I also proposed, this time, when we were drafting our work programme for this year, that the commission would be invited back to give us an update on its work. That was to give us in a parliamentary chamber the opportunity to endorse the important work and the difficult task that the commission has been assigned and that, hopefully, some coverage of our proceedings, be it in the print or broadcast media, might create that extra awareness that is needed, the coverage would get to the people who have information and who have not yet passed it on, and finally, their consciences might get to them and they would pass on that information. The three guests have outlined clearly that if a person passes on information it cannot be used for any other purposes and the Cathaoirleach outlined that clearly as well. People who provide information will not be prosecuted in relation to any of their misdeeds or any other misdemeanours, if they carried out some.

I have been familiar with the work of the victims' commission since 1998 because the late John Wilson, the former Tánaiste whom I had a very close working relationship with over many years, was the first person appointed by the Irish Government. I had the privilege of succeeding him as a Deputy for Cavan-Monaghan when he retired in 1992. At that time, without knowing the detail of any particular cases, I knew how difficult that work was from talking to John Wilson about it on a general basis. I note those who succeeded him. Mr. Bloomfield carried out admirable work, as did Mr. Frank Murray. It is important that we recognise the work of the people who served in the roles previously as well.

Unfortunately, there were very many reprehensible, vile and heinous crimes during the era known as the Troubles but I suppose the case of the 16 disappeared really is absolutely reprehensible. All murders, maiming of people and injuries inflicted on people are reprehensible but to abduct, kill and secretly bury persons and not have them returned to their families is beyond comprehension.

The task of the commission is to return to families the remains of persons killed by paramilitaries. The least that anybody deserves is a Christian burial. We can never emphasise enough how important it is.

We met Oliver McVeigh last week, as the Cathaoirleach said, Columba's brother. Mr. McVeigh appealed again to anybody with information or any organisation that they have, to put it mildly, a moral duty to pass on any relevant information and as a committee, we totally endorse that.

From speaking with families that the commission has worked with over years, I know they very much appreciate the commission's method in going about its business and the dignified, gracious and understanding manner in which it carries out that work. The commission is to be commended in that respect.

My purpose in suggesting that the commission come before the committee was, as I stated at the outset, to endorse publicly the important work of the commission and also to emphasise that the commission tasks are not yet complete, unfortunately. What we would like to see is, obviously, the other three bodies returned to their loved ones.

Two of my colleagues, Senators McGreehan and Blaney, hope to be with us later. They are attending the Seanad, which the Taoiseach is addressing.

As I stated earlier, John Wilson was appointed by the Government in May 1998, a month following the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. That demonstrated the importance that the Governments at that time attached to this work because it was a month after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. What he was tasked with at that time was to review services and arrangements in place to meet the needs of victims of Northern Ireland violence. John Wilson was appointed. Mr. Bloomfield was appointed by the British Government subsequently to carry out that important task on behalf of both Governments.

The first report of the victims' commission, A Place and a Name, was published in July 1999. In one particular comment in regard to the disappeared, it states:

Anyone with the slightest shred of information on the possible location of bodies should make this known to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains.

It is sad that today, at the end of 2021, we are appealing still for information so that the remains of innocent people murdered and buried in secret, and some of them abducted, murdered and secretly buried, have not yet been returned to their loved ones. That sentence is as relevant today, unfortunately, as it was when it was written in July 1999.