Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

On the last occasion the Taoiseach responded to these related questions, 11 May, he expressed some pessimism with regard to how far he might get with the British Government in seeking the truth about collusion. He also indicated he would be holding his first meeting on the issue of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings with the new Secretary of State, Mr. Peter Hain, in the subsequent week. Is the pessimism voiced on 11 May in any way different now? Did the new Secretary of State give him any greater hope than that expressed by the Taoiseach on 11 May? Does he hold out any prospect of the British Government co-operating in terms of the establishment of a full inquiry, either by the British Government or by both Governments in a cross-jurisdictional sense?

The Oireachtas committee presented a fall-back option in the event of the British Government continuing to refuse to establish an inquiry. Can the Taoiseach clarify the position that he outlined in his opening response regarding recourse to the European Court of Human Rights? This is the preferred option of the survivors and relatives of the victims of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974. There is a concern within Justice for the Forgotten regarding time restrictions which may close this avenue unless the project is pursued with some haste.

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