Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Has the Taoiseach noted the Finucane family's restated rejection of any inquiry under the restrictions of the British Inquiries Act? The family made that rejection patently clear following its meeting with Peter Hain last week. Where does the Taoiseach stand on the Finucane family's demand for a full, open, public inquiry that is not gagged by the mechanism of the Inquiries Act, is he pressing for the repeal of that legislation at Westminster and has he raised the issue with Tony Blair in recent engagements with him?

Given that it is of such importance that the Finucane family and others are facilitated in their search for truth and justice, is that an issue on which the Taoiseach would seek to call a special summit meeting between himself and Tony Blair to address as a stand alone item on an agenda? I believe it is of such importance, but what is the Taoiseach's view? Does he accept that securocrats are behind the demand for the parameters to be within the terms of the Inquiries Act? If they have their way on this issue and on all matters pertaining to collusion, how and when will they ever be faced down on their continuing actions to thwart progress in the overall peace process?

Has the Taoiseach noted that the British Parliament last night took a further step towards the imposition of compulsory ID cards for everyone in the island of Britain and in the North of Ireland? The British Home Secretary, Mr. Charles Clarke, made the clear statement that it is intended to have compulsory identification cards for everyone. What is the Taoiseach's view on the matter and will he take particular decisive action to ensure that such a proposition will not come about for any citizen on the island of Ireland, particularly given the abuse of access to information by the police force in the North of Ireland by any name, and the feed of sensitive information on citizens in that jurisdiction to loyalist paramilitaries through the years?

Does the Taoiseach accept, as I do, that the introduction of compulsory ID cards for every citizen in the North is bound to cause great concern, fear and alarm within Nationalist and republican communities throughout the Six Counties? Will the Taoiseach make it clear that this is not acceptable? What is the Taoiseach's position on a previous statement by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform regarding the introduction of a compulsory identification scheme for all citizens in this jurisdiction on the back of the British Government's intended implementation of compulsory ID cards on the island of Britain and the north of this island?

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