Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)

In recent days there has been much talk, in the context of the Queen's visit, about new beginnings, putting a seal on past conflict, the need for reconciliation and truth and renewed and improved relations with our British neighbours. All of these sentiments are admirable and ones we all share. In that context, it is obviously very positive that there is an agreed all-party motion calling on the British Government to disclose all of the files and information it has available on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, as well as other cross-Border bombings in the early 1970s. Often there is a long way between word and deed. Certainly, it has been a long struggle for the families of the victims of these terrible atrocities to get to the words calling for full disclosure to allow them to have closure and get to the truth. In that context, it is unconscionable that we are not making more public and forthright demands of the British Government, particularly during the visit of the Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron, to release the files to allow the truth to come out.

One must wonder a little about the seriousness and commitment of the British Government. Despite all of the fine and noble sentiments expressed in recent days about the need for reconciliation and to put conflict behind us, it refuses point blank to disclose the information sought by the families. It makes one wonder about its motivation. I implore the Irish Government to move not only by way of words in the form of a motion but also to pursue this issue aggressively in a forthright manner by demanding that the British Government disclose the files to let the truth come out and allow the families closure on this matter.

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