Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy raised three issues. I outlined, in reply to Deputy Rabbitte, the position regarding the first report. It must first be debated in the Dáil and Seanad and then by the Government in terms of recommendations and processes for moving on. That includes the full substance of the first report.

His second report deals with events which occurred before 17 May 1974. It covers the Dublin bombings of 1972 and 1973, the Clones, Belturbet and Pettigo bombings of 28 December 1972, four other bombing incidents which took place before May 1974 and the murders of Bríd Carr in November 1971 and of Oliver Boyce and Bríd Porter. They are all dealt with in one report. The drafting of that report is well advanced. Some contacts are continuing in which Mr. Justice Barron is involved and to which I am not privy. He will report on that.

Mr. Justice Barron will then report on the case of Séamus Ludlow. He will report on the Dundalk bombings of 1975 and will look at a number of other bombings which took place after May 1974, including the Castleblayney bombing. Mr. Justice Barron was asked to do these reports at a much later date. I do not know when this third report will be made but I presume it will be a considerable time from now.

See this speech in context