Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 4 May 2023

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement

Engagement with Representatives of Truth Recovery Process

Mr. John Green:

It would have a snowball effect. We represent an alternative in parallel with and complementary to the system. Operation Kenova is the big white hope in the area of justice. It has lost its key witness. There may be 32 participants, with maybe five or six expected to reach the bar. We are talking about catharsis. In other words, once people see this happening, others will come forward. It is incumbent on the Governments to lead on this. At our conference, it was suggested that some paramilitary groups would participate if the conditions were right. It is up to us, society, to say that the conditions are right and to get them to participate. This is too important.

The problem is that we are not strong enough in drawing people out. There are people who have information. All our emphasis is on the governments and I am quite happy to have that. There are other groups of people who are dying off, who must provide that information. If they want the society they claim to want they must participate in this. That is the problem. We do not have any way of doing it. We can lead by example. The Governments are taking the high moral ground. There is an opening in this regard. With the greatest of respect, I do not think the justice system is producing truth. It might produce-----

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