Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I will not be partisan about it either. I do not believe that Deputy Rabbitte can fairly make a political point that if I got information in September and dealt with it immediately, that was delaying it. They did not present this information. They did present other information over the years, which successive Ministers for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and Justice, Equality and Law Reform considered.

Let us not forget that a full sworn inquiry into this matter took place and that a comprehensive system designed to help the families involved was established. Politicians, including the then Taoiseach, and the then Attorney General, Mr. John Rogers, made huge efforts to deal with these issues in the 1980s. With the passage of time, new issues arose, particularly in respect of DNA, a matter with which we have since dealt. I understand the nature of the grieving process and I accept that people were not sure or could never be certain about their loved ones being identified and asked that the matter be addressed.

In terms of technical issues, the tribunal concluded that it was arson——

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