Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)

As it seems agreement has been finally reached on the devolution from London to Belfast of policing and justice powers, will the Taoiseach indicate what role the Government will play in ensuring this vital step in transforming policing in the Six Counties and on the island as a whole is carried through? Was the Government involved in the recent negotiations? How will it fulfil its role in ensuring the full implementation of this aspect of the Good Friday and St. Andrews Agreements?

The Taoiseach might recall that the Dáil unanimously passed the motion, which was sent to the British Parliament and called on it to release all relevant documentation regarding the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings of May 1974. We asked for this information to be assessed by an independent international authority. Given the refusal of the British Government to comply with this request of the Oireachtas, what course of action does the Taoiseach now propose to take? Does he agree this is a very serious issue and that the lack of action on the part of the British Government must be confronted? Does the Taoiseach agree also that this issue clearly shows that any process of truth recovery relating to the conflict must be anchored, not by a body nominated by the British Government, but by an independent international truth commission? In terms of such an independent international truth commission, which both Governments would authorise, will the Taoiseach support a proposal that they would authorise the UN or a similar body to establish such a truth commission?

See this speech in context