Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy McDowell, is well aware of the atmosphere of hurt, anger and disillusionment that persists among relatives of the Omagh atrocity's victims. Their feelings are directed in the first instance towards the investigating authorities that have so far failed to identify and bring to justice the perpetrators and provide ongoing information on the how and why of that appalling day in Omagh. The Minister must be especially aware that, in the second instance, that hurt, anger and disillusionment is directed at the political authorities of the British and Irish Governments. That was most pertinently shown by the less than effusive welcome the Taoiseach received in Omagh yesterday.

In view of that ongoing hurt, anger and disillusionment, the Minister's response today, given the legal constraints within which he operates, will do nothing to lessen those feelings among the Omagh relatives. As has been stated by other speakers, this debate is occurring in something of a vacuum, although it must be accepted that the Minister has offered private grief briefings and given some indication of his situation. However, by not physically presenting the report — perhaps truncated — to those who must examine it, especially relatives of the Omagh victims, we cannot clearly say what right or wrong has been served by this group meeting and producing a report.

Also of concern is the Minister's implication, which I picked up from what he said today and which he might care to refute in his response to this debate, that the right of the Omagh relatives to know compromises or undermines the national security of this State. If that is the weighing-up exercise being done, the implication is unfortunate. I would like it spelt out later in this debate to what extent such a compromising or undermining of this State's security will be occasioned by physically showing the relatives what information is available.

The second implication, on which the Minister should be really forthright, is that somehow the issue is the conflict between the opinion of one person, the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland, Nuala O'Loan, and that of the three eminent people who comprised the Nally group. That is unfair, since we know that Ms O'Loan has her own reputation which the Government has chosen to use regarding our ongoing work in ensuring acceptable policing in Northern Ireland. She is also the head of an agency with its own investigative back-up which is independent of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. To apply that type of weighting and say that it is one person against three or that we are giving more weight to those who happen to be our three people would be an unfortunate implication to emerge from this debate. It would further undermine the confidence of the Omagh relatives in the entire process.

After today, there must be some type of commitment, which the Minister has partially given, that, outside the constraints in which he finds himself regarding the individual referenced in the report and whatever criminal proceedings are being followed, a report will be published. The Minister has talked about that possibility. I would like a firm commitment that it will be done as quickly as possible and include the maximum amount of detail that can be given to help what is most in need of help at this stage, namely, the confidence of the Omagh victims' relatives. Until we secure such a commitment, I fear that the hurt, anger and disillusionment that began on that day in August 1998 will only intensify. We in this House should not add to such an atmosphere.

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