Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

These issues have not just been raised for the first time. The committee of the families have been putting forward their suggestions and they submitted their report. They had on-going contact with the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform which I understand had worked out very well. The report went through the Department and on to the Garda Commissioner and to the forensic science laboratory where it was examined in detail two years ago. They concluded that these issues had been adequately addressed by the tribunal of inquiry. I hear the Members when they state that perhaps that formation is not the best way of looking at it, but it was agreed at the time that this was what would happen. If any new evidence comes forward, the Department has undertaken that it will follow through with the same process. If the present system is not detailed enough and a more structured way is preferred, then I am not ruling that out. However, my understanding is that the information has been examined in great detail by the Department, the Commissioner and by the forensic science laboratory. They concluded that there was nothing new that could open it up.

If the issue of the deceased in the communal grave has not been dealt with, I will raise it again with the Department. My note does not state if this was part of the 2004 report. This is not a case where there was not a detailed tribunal. This was probably the biggest issue at the time. It was the subject of the Keane tribunal, was investigated very thoroughly and remained the subject of on-going changes in so many parts of our legislation such as the Building Control Bill 2005, the fire Bill, other regulations and fire services legislation. The events had a profound effect on how we dealt with other issues. We can never say that a tragedy will not happen, but one can try to make sure that the lessons and the recommendations from the tribunal are taken into account.

If information arises from the programme, the Minister, the Government, the Garda and the forensic science laboratory are prepared to look at it. If that requires some more formalised way of doing it, the Government would not rule it out.

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