Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Will the Taoiseach accept that the primary reason for continuing to fund Justice for the Forgotten is to allow it to continue to play its role in campaigning and searching for truth and justice in respect of the events that occurred in this city and in Monaghan town on 17 May 1974? Does the Taoiseach accept that it would be wholly and absolutely wrong and unacceptable if the Government were to withdraw critical funding from Justice for the Forgotten, as it endeavours to do its core work, in the immediate aftermath of the 35th anniversary of those events, which will fall in May of this year?

When did the Taoiseach take the opportunity to raise directly with the British Prime Minister the decision of the Houses of the Oireachtas to unanimously endorse various reports, including the sub-committee's report and the MacEntee report? Does he have further plans to raise these matters directly with the Prime Minister? I refer, for example, to the response received by the Clerk of the Dáil, Mr. Kieran Coughlan, from his Westminster counterpart, which was that this is a matter in the first instance for the UK Houses of Parliament. It has been suggested that the House of Commons will need to address the substantive statement involved in the unanimous decision of these Houses. Has the British Prime Minister indicated to the Taoiseach that the decision of the Dáil and the Seanad is scheduled to be addressed in Westminster? Will he undertake to revisit this matter with the British Prime Minister at the earliest opportunity? Does the Government have any plans to mark the sad occasion of the 35th anniversary of the tragedy that visited Dublin and Monaghan, which will fall within a matter of weeks?

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