Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

On the case of Ms Rosemary Nelson, I note the Secretary of State apologised on behalf of the British state and the Chief Constable apologised on behalf of the police. I recall discussions about the late Ms Rosemary Nelson here but, on the publication of the report, our thoughts should be with her husband Paul and her children. She was a human rights lawyer and her work centred on rights and the law, which was critical.

We can focus our debate on Dublin and Monaghan. It was not a case of a "Yes" or "No" answer. It is a case of raising an issue I indicated at my first meeting with the Prime Minister would become an issue on the arrival of the Queen here. I undertook on behalf of Deputy Martin to raise it and I did so. We discussed a number of cases, including the Pat Finucane case.

Rather than giving an indication that we will proceed down a road of repeating public inquiries, we should look at several options and list those cases and incidents where some progress might be made. Many of these were quite a number of years ago, as the Deputy is well aware. It is true that for those involved who lost loved ones in particular, closure is never brought until facts and the truth are known. Many of these cases are sensitive and difficult. As far as I am concerned, I do not have access to whatever files there are, or information about their contents, nor do I have the authority to divulge them. On behalf of the Government, the people and on foot of the motions that have been passed by this House, I will continue to work in the light of transformed relationships between our two islands with the British Government about this and related matters.

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