Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

The Taoiseach will recall that the Sub-Committee of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights issued reports on the outcome of the independent commission of inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and the three related Barron reports, including the inquiry into the bombing of Kay's Tavern in Dundalk and the other incidences in Castleblayney and Belturbet, to which I believe the Taoiseach referred in his earlier response to Deputy Kenny. The Taoiseach will accept that these reports cover a range of acts of collusion resulting in the deaths of many innocent people in this jurisdiction. The work of the committee was virtually unprecedented in the history of the Houses of the Oireachtas.

However, does the Taoiseach not agree that the work of the committee, the publication of the various reports and the decision of this Chamber in unanimously passing a motion in March 2006 have not had the impact on the British Government and politics in the neighbouring island that Members of this House of all opinion would have expected? Does he agree that the Houses of the Oireachtas must take whatever appropriate steps in order to ensure that it has the impact the issues involved clearly deserve? In that respect will the Taoiseach arrange for the reports I have cited, as the former Taoiseach indicated his willingness to do, to be formally endorsed by means of full debates on motions in both Houses of the Oireachtas?

Does the Taoiseach recall that the former Taoiseach invited such an opportunity if agreement could be reached on a motion to facilitate such a debate to address the issues that the Opposition voices are raising today? Will he agree, therefore, that that process should now proceed and that an agreed motion is well within the collective gift of all opinion reflected in this House, as was demonstrated two years ago? Does he agree that we need a process whereby the Speaker of the House of Commons in Britain would be formally informed of the passage of such a resolution and be requested to put the content and intent of such a message from these Houses before the Houses of Parliament in Westminster so that the matter would be considered by the British Parliament by request of these Houses?

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