Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

I live in a Border county. Obviously, in many ways living there is no different from living anywhere else. We have had a long history, over many years, of being touched by what has happened in the North. Dead bodies were left in our county. Murder most foul was committed, and that affected the population generally. With the greatest respect, regardless of anything else, the issue here is the relatives of those who died. They are everyone's primary concern. They should be given the most information as early and as quickly as possible to satisfy them regarding the tragedies that their families and they suffered in that most awful terrorist act.

I wish to compare two matters. I accept what the Minister said. No one doubts the credibility, integrity, commitment and professionalism of the Garda in all matters relating to this investigation, or that of the RUC in the North. The difference is that, in the North, an investigation has taken place into what transpired in Omagh. Nuala O'Loan put on the record in her report exactly what information the RUC had at that time. It is astounding and upsetting to read that report, which is in the public domain.

The first issue is that, on 4 August 1998, 11 days before the Omagh bombing, a ten minute telephone call took place between an informer and the police station in Omagh informing the latter that a terrorist attack of unspecified nature would take place on the police station on 11 August. Three days before the bombing further information was received about unspecified attacks somewhere in the North of Ireland. Nuala O'Loan's report states that the information was not passed up the line in the RUC. That is clearly a damning indictment of the procedures and situation in the RUC at that time. Her recommendations are clear about the changes that will have to take place in the PSNI as a result of this information. The awful fact is that, if only that had been acted on and more attention paid to it or the officers who subsequently interviewed an informer had acted differently, believing that the so-called smuggler was a well-known dissident republican, things might have been different. However, ultimately the bombing took place and the mayhem and terror happened. That is what we must deal with.

Nobody doubts the integrity of the Minister or of the argument that he makes from his perspective. Neither does anyone doubt that the relatives do not accept his view of what should happen now. In the House today, we wish to move the matter on in the best and most constructive way possible. My leader, Deputy Kenny, has made the most constructive suggestion of all. He is calling for someone of international repute with a background in judicial affairs. As in the case of other investigations, the person would have truly international standing and take ownership of this issue on all our behalf. That ownership would be in the context of giving the relatives as many facts as can be given. How does that differ from what the Minister says? The Minister says that there are issues of State security. Of course there are and, as Deputy Kenny has said, no one wants any such information released. Neither do the relatives want it. However, the report also included information that the relatives could and must have. This is a clear and obvious way of dealing with the issue.

The person would deal initially with the relatives. Provided he or she has sufficient international standing, there is no reason he or she could not be given the report and, if the Minister feels he cannot do so, seek a way to communicate some facts and details to the families. They want transparency and openness and an independent inquiry should be able to establish more information which could be given to the relatives.

We have had many inquires north and south of the Border and many more have been called for which have not taken place. The Omagh bombing was the worst single atrocity north or south of the Border and it behoves us to re-examine all available information and consider what we can do about it.

I welcome the Minister's commitment to meet the relatives again and to do the best he can. He must go the extra mile for them. Even if he has three arguments for not holding an inquiry, he needs only one reason to proceed, as I would, to take the step and reach out because the relatives need and are entitled to it.

Nuala O'Loan has been fantastic in her investigation in the North into how the RUC operated on the day of the bombings. She has placed in the public domain her criticisms and the changes required. Having made every possible effort to ensure the Government has available to it all the information she had, Ms O'Loan is entitled to a copy of the report. The Minister stated she is not an officer of this State, which is correct, but she is an Irish person acting in a part of this country in an independent and professional capacity. Her independence and integrity have not been challenged by the Minister or anybody else. Why not give her a copy of the report and allow her to see the results of the investigation conducted here on foot of the information she provided?

The Nally report recommends that the matter be progressed and refers to keeping better records of North-South contacts and exchanges in intelligence, and establishing a written code of instructions and guidelines on intelligence gathering and agent handling. Obviously, I am not aware of the reason the report recommends even these changes, but it clearly contains more information than that in the public domain and we are entitled to know what it is without compromising the integrity, security or identity of any named person or officer.

The least to which we are entitled is to have as much as possible of the report released but we are also entitled to the greatest possible degree of transparency and clearly the relatives are deeply unhappy with the current position in this regard. I urge the Minister to go the extra mile and reach out to those who have suffered most at the hands of awful people.

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