Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I thank the Taoiseach for raising these issues with the British Prime Minister. My colleagues and I were involved in very close negotiations with the British Government for at least ten years in a very open way. I know how it works and what it takes to get it to come to conclusions. The decision to establish the Saville inquiry after decades of campaigning by the families and others came to be made not least because some very good work was done on the ground assisted by the Irish Government at the time. Martin McGuinness and I were with Mr. Tony Blair in Chequers and he had a report; he left us to read it and it changed his mind.

It is not enough to raise the issue with the British Prime Minister. It is not enough to state there is a difference of opinion. It is entirely within the grasp of the Government to bring forward such a report on Pat Finucane's killing, the Dublin and Monaghan bombings or what happened in Ballymurphy and present it to Mr. Cameron. It is entirely within the width of the Government to enlist its diplomatic and consular services to raise this issue globally. I recommend this approach and know how it works.

I also know how deeply wounded all the people concerned are. I lost family members also. I hear the Taoiseach railing against IRA killings, as he is perfectly and fully entitled to do. I regret that there was a war at any time in the history of the island. We need to deal with these legacy issues, the issues which are subject to acknowledgement and admissions by the British Government that it was involved - in the case of Pat Finucane there is an agreement between the two Governments. I recommend this approach and ask the Taoiseach to consider making a solemn declaration to the Dáil that he will do everything possible in his power to seek closure for the families.

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