Mr. Raymond McCord:

I thank the committee for inviting the three of us down here. I am not used to reading speeches, so the members might excuse me at times.

The legacy Bill is nothing more than the British Government ensuring that the truth of its involvement and that of its agents in both loyalist and republican murder gangs is never revealed in a court of families seeking truth and justice. The religion or politics of victims is totally irrelevant as the security forces and its agents murdered at will, whether Protestants or Catholics in their own community or from the other community.

Loyalty to the crown or fighting for a united Ireland meant nothing to the murderers or those who sent and paid them. Many state agents will never face the courts for the countless murders in which they were involved. We must stand together in challenging the British Government in the British and European courts. Division among victims and politicians on the island of Ireland is what the British Government and its security agencies are hoping and pushing for. Defeat for this Bill will happen with unity of the people and political parties, particularly on both sides of the Border. Forget about green and orange politics, forget about political aspirations, forget about point scoring for or against any political party here. As a person from the unionist community who has welcomed and participated in cross-community and cross-Border events, I asked the British Government to take my murdered son's case to the European court. I remind the committee that young Raymond’s case was the first case of collusion proven by the police ombudsman's report in 2007 and accepted by the British Government and its then Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the then chief constable, that there was collusion in his murder by the special branch and its UVF agents who murdered young Raymond.

The special branch was warned by an agent, as verified in court papers, that my son was going to be murdered. The special branch allowed it to happen. He was 22 years old and murdered by State agents. One particular UVF state agent got weekend parole from prison to murder young Raymond. Released on Friday, he murdered my son on Saturday with the knowledge and permission of the special branch. Thanks to Nuala O'Loan's report, Operation Ballast, young Raymond’s case and the strength of his case needs to go to the European court. An Irish Government taking a unionist victim's case with collusion proven and the papers that come with it, is something that some unionist politicians and the British Government and its security agencies would never believe would or can happen. The credibility in the European Parliament and the European Court of such an action by Dublin adds so much more to the case. The Irish Government supporting a Unionist victim from a community that rejects unifying the island takes courage according to many. For me, it is not just courage. It is a clear indication that the Irish Government in Dublin has an ace in its hands in that such a strong case to support comes from an unusual background, as it is a unionist victim's case.

It is the community that is supposed to support the British Government. Yet, I, the murdered young man's father, reject the British Government and its immoral justice denying legacy Bill. I have led a campaign against it. I now ask the committee to support me with my son's case by having it taken by the Irish Government to the European Court.

I hold an Irish passport along with my British passport. Has Dublin the courage to support my call? I have spoken in the Irish Seanad, as has my solicitor Paul Farrell, thanks to the support and the kindness of several Senators, in particular Senators Mark Daly and Emer Currie, who have also supported victims by helping me to bring our cross-community "Victims Stories" film to Leinster House which was well received by the politicians who watched it.

I have a historical document that I drafted and that was signed in Belfast City Hall by every major party on the island of Ireland rejecting the legacy Bill. It is the only document in the history of Ireland that all the major parties signed, which is something that even the GFA failed to do. The then leader of the Irish Labour Party, Pat Rabbitte, raised my son’s case many years ago in the Dáil. Irish America continues to support me. The late US Congressman, Bill Delahunt, gave me a Congressional Hearing into young Raymond’s brutal murder. I will be forever grateful to him. It was the first Congressional Hearing into a Unionist victim of the Troubles and collusion. Father Sean McManus of the Irish National Caucus declares his support for what he calls this Belfast Protestant father, as he describes me. Richie Neal and many others in Washington who are great friends of Ireland, continue to support my battle for truth and justice and my opposition to this Bill.

I hope to come away today with the support of this committee for my call on the Irish Government to give this father from the unionist community the opportunity to have his son’s case taken to the European Court, as part, or along with, the Irish Government's challenge.

I thank members for inviting me and giving me this opportunity to put young Raymond’s case. We will always be friends. This is an opportunity for the Irish Government to make a statement of intent that all victims of the Troubles can and will be represented by the Irish Government. Each community in Northern Ireland still has the bigots who practise sectarianism. In my own community, politicians and self-promoting campaigners with their own agendas still regard the Irish Government as anti-unionst and anti-unionism. No one can deny the Irish Government has questions to answer relating to the Troubles. Having said that, so do Stormont and Westminster. However, when will the religious and political divide allow Governments to show support for those with different political aspirations in making decisions that the British Government believed would never happen? That is reconciliation, equality, anti-sectarianism, unity and strength in a court in Europe but, most importantly, it clearly states and shows that unionist victims are equal with nationalist victims. The Irish Government will prove that, not just talk about it, in an action that proves it in the European Court. Coming and standing together is our strength. I thank the committee.