Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

When we had statements here on the Barron report and the report of the Oireachtas committee at the beginning of the year there was considerable disappointment among the families of the victims that the opportunity was not taken to have an agreed, all-party motion on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and what needed to be done following those reports. This motion could have been similar to that passed in 2006 in connection with the Finucane case. Following the statements, my colleague, Deputy Joe Costello, wrote to the Taoiseach's predecessor suggesting proposing a draft all-party motion for consideration. Two questions arise from that. Does the Taoiseach agree in principle that there should be an all-party motion? I understood that is what he said when he replied to Deputy Ó Caoláin. Will he undertake to consider the draft that was submitted to his predecessor by Deputy Costello?

Some of the families took a court case arising from which the High Court made an order that the Government produce certain documents, which the Government has appealed to the Supreme Court. I heard the Taoiseach say he did not want to go any further into it because it is before the court. Can he give the House any idea when he thinks the Supreme Court might consider the matter? As has been said by previous Deputies, this happened 34 years ago and people have waited a long time for answers. If there will be prolonged litigation in the Supreme Court it will add to that. Has the Taoiseach any information on when the Supreme Court might deal with it?

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