Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

From my personal perspective, I would prefer to meet the Ballymurphy families on their home ground. While one may take on too many meetings what I would like to do is to go to Belfast in June and, as part of whatever I do in Northern Ireland, arrange a meeting with the Ballymurphy families and hear what it is that they have to say.

I did not rely upon diplomatic services or just correspondence in respect of the Pat Finucane case, I raised it directly where it should be raised, in 10 Downing Street face to face with the British Prime Minister. I said the position from our perspective was the Cory decision and recommendation was that there should be an independent inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane. That arose out of an international agreement at Weston Park. The Government of the Republic and the Dáil set up the Smithwick inquiry following the same recommendation. While the British Government has set itself and its face on the de Silva inquiry I have no idea what might emerge from that. As I said to the Deputy, my preference, as I said to the Prime Minister face to face, is that a public inquiry should take place as was recommended. I also said that to Geraldine Finuance when I met her both in Belfast and in the United States where I raised the matter of the public inquiry being conducted in respect of the death of her husband when I met her in Washington. It is not just a case as the Deputy said of anaemic statements; this is a case where we speak on behalf of the Government in respect of a international agreement, as Deputy Martin pointed out, and that should be honoured. That is my view and I communicated that directly to the British Prime Minister. I am not sure what advice he has available to him or the nature of the advice that was given to him about the appointment of a queen's counsel to look at the Finucane papers. He extended the courtesy to me of informing me that the announcement would be made. I am not sure whether there was an assumption that would have been acceptable to the Finucane family at the time of his announcement but clearly it was not, which very clearly leads to the understanding that everybody had that these were two specific instances, two specific recommendations from Judge Cory, and the agreement of both Governments was whatever his recommendation would be it would be followed through and, as I said, I am disappointed that did not happen. For my part, I will continue to raise it where it should be raised with the Prime Minister when I have occasion to meet him.

In respect of the other matter, I would be happy to talk to the Ballymurphy families when I am up there.

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