Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I have no doubt the Taoiseach will join me in condemning the brutal sectarian murder in Ballymena of young Michael McIlveen and extending sympathy to his family, condemning all sectarian acts and calling on all political leaders to use whatever influence they have in their respective communities to help to root out this terrible scourge.

Did the Taoiseach raise the joint committee's report on the murder of Séamus Ludlow with the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, when last they met? Did the Taoiseach apprise the British Prime Minister of the joint committee's views, including its strong criticism of the failure of the British authorities to co-operate in this and all other cases of collusion? If so, what was the British Prime Minister's response?

Is the Taoiseach aware that the Pat Finucane Centre and the Justice for the Forgotten group have uncovered files in the Public Record Office in London which indicate clearly that people at the highest level in the British Government had some knowledge of the extent of the collusion between the Ulster Defence Regiment and loyalist paramilitaries? It is recorded in the files that, as long ago as 1973, 15% of the members of the UDR were active members of loyalist paramilitary groups. Is the Taoiseach aware that the files show that even though the British Government knew about the facts I have recounted, it approved the extension of the role of the UDR by giving it a significantly increased intelligence role?

Why have voluntary organisations, such as the Pat Finucane Centre and Justice for the Forgotten, been able to uncover such critical and important material, whereas the various representative agencies of this State and the different inquiries which have embarked on this work appear to have failed to do so? Is the Taoiseach aware the documents show the British Ministry of Defence in 1974, the year of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings — the 32nd anniversary of which will be tomorrow week — agreeing to the extension of that intelligence role? Does the Taoiseach agree that the uncovering of these documents demonstrates clearly the British Government's lie to the effect that it had nothing further to offer to the various inquiries this State has initiated into acts of collusion, not only as regards Dublin-Monaghan, but the many other incidents that we have mentioned here time and again?

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