Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. I was sorry to hear about the Cathaoirleach's own loss as well. I know it was a long time ago but pain like that remains within families. I apologise; I missed the Belfast meeting because I was a close contact of someone with Covid at the time so I had to restrict my movements.

I thank the witnesses for their presentations today. It is impossible to imagine the grief, loss and torture their families have been put through over that time. I also thank them for the powerful contributions they have made. It has been an education. I knew a lot about these cases and situations but until you see the human face of their impact it is impossible to understand the magnitude of it. In Meath, we know a good bit about the disappeared because the bodies of Seamus Wright and Kevin McKee were found in County Meath. Burying loved ones is a central part of the grieving process, as old as humanity itself. It is hard to see a greater wrong that can be committed against anybody. The point we hear over and over again when dealing with victims and survivors is that there is a generation of people who have not long to live and it is important that that information is given to them.

I agree with the pension scheme for victims and survivors of atrocities in the South. It is not something that is very regularly discussed in the South but we as a committee need to start raising it more in general discussions.

Most of the questions I was going to ask have been asked at this stage. Ms Morgan's contribution is very important. I was sorry to hear about the loss of her sister in the last few weeks. Face-to-face discussions with people involved in these actions are the key to this. I hear information that there are certain people who are willing to help but there are others who have just drawn a line under things and are not willing to participate in any way whatsoever. It is hard to underestimate the power of a person sitting in front of another individual as a moral lever, or crowbar, to see what can happen and if the right thing can be done.

I appeal to anyone with influence in this to see if those face-to-face meetings can happen and that all the details of what happened to those loved ones are made known, not just the locations.

We often hear that there is no hierarchy of victims. If there is no hierarchy of victims, those who have had loved ones disappeared are equally as entitled as those who lost loved ones to the Glenanne Gang, the British army or anyone else. There has to be full equality among victims on this.

Following Ms Peake's suggestion, I propose that the committee invite Mr. Jon Boutcher to discuss his work on trying to find out the truth about what happened on the past.

My next question is not an argument I am making but it is an argument that is sometimes made. What role has the passage of time played regarding the ability to get to the truth? What are the witnesses views on that? Can the independent commission be strengthened in any way to help with its work?

On the British policy of moving towards an amnesty, has WAVE looked at legal avenues to prevent the British from enforcing an amnesty which in my vie would be contrary to the Good Friday and Stormont House agreements and human rights law?