Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)

It is obvious that to clear up all these issues the full co-operation of the British State authorities is necessary, otherwise it will be a sham. What hope is there of getting the British State to reveal all the information it has on these issues in the Republic when in a far more recent case in Northern Ireland, the Blair regime is actively frustrating the full inquiry into the Pat Finucane murder? Does the Taoiseach agree that Prime Minister Blair is treating him, the head of the Irish Government, and the Irish people, with contempt, by continually stonewalling and refusing to direct the security services in Britain and in Northern Ireland to reveal all they know? What action will the Taoiseach take if Mr. MacEntee states in his final report that he has not received sufficient information from those who have that information — the British security forces — to draw definite conclusions? This is an extremely frustrating matter for elected representatives of Dáil Éireann who have been coming into this House for years asking the Taoiseach to get the co-operation of Mr. Blair. Since certain political commentators believe that Mr. Blair, like Mr. Bush, is directly in touch with God, I suggest the Taoiseach might pray he would be moved to reveal all. This seems to be the only hope left at this stage.

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