Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The murder of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan in March 1989 was one of the many cowardly murders carried out by the Provisional IRA on the Border at that time. This was the same organisation which murdered a young couple, Robert and Maureen Hanna, and their seven year old son as they returned from a family holiday and Tom Oliver, a respected farmer from the Cooley Peninsula.

In 2001 at the Weston Park talks, the Irish and British Governments agreed that a number of controversial killings where there were suggestions of collusion by the security forces would be considered for investigation. The vast majority of these killings occurred in Northern Ireland, including the shameful murder in 1989 of the solicitor, Pat Finucane. The Governments agreed that the murders would be reviewed by retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory who subsequently recommended that inquiries be established into the murders of Pat Finucane, Robert Hamill, Rosemary Nelson and others on the basis of suspected collusion by security forces in the North. He also recommended a public inquiry into the murders of Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan.

Allegations of collusion are the most serious charge that could be made against the Garda Síochána. It is regrettable that to date the British Government has not initiated a proper and public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane.

The Smithwick tribunal has been carrying out work on behalf of the Oireachtas since 2005. It has done a significant amount of work to date and heard evidence from approximately 200 witnesses. All Members are anxious that it concludes its work as quickly as possible. It is not acceptable that a tribunal should take ten years to complete its work, as occurred in the past. The reason the Smithwick tribunal has been delayed in reaching a conclusion is twofold. First, an important witness has experienced an unfortunate medical condition and, second, it appears the PSNI recently furnished the tribunal with new intelligence that is relevant to its work. The Oireachtas has no option other than to grant the further extension sought by Judge Smithwick. I hope it will be the last such extension as it is imperative for the sake of the Garda Síochána and families of the murdered officers that the tribunal reports at the earliest possible opportunity.

The State would not need to spend millions of euro on the tribunal of inquiry and the families of Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan would not need to wait another year to find out all the information about how their loved ones were murdered if those involved in the murders and their political representatives decided to tell the truth about what took place. Sinn Féin Members will no doubt criticise the cost of the tribunal to the taxpayer. A tribunal of inquiry would not be necessary if the Members in question got the people who killed officers Breen and Buchanan in cold blood to co-operate with Judge Smithwick. Sadly, Sinn Féin Members will not encourage those who were involved in the killings to tell the truth to the inquiry. They know that if the individuals in question answer questions about the murders of Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan, they will also have to answer questions about other Irish people murdered throughout the years. For instance, they would then have to answer questions about why and who murdered the Hanna family, a mother and father and their seven year old son who were returning from a holiday in the United States. The seven year old boy was blown to pieces by the brave warriors whose political supporters sit in this House today. Sinn Féin is great at lecturing this State and my party on how children's rights were not adequately respected in the past. What respect did its member and members of the IRA have for a little boy in July 1988 when they ended his life? Why do former members of the IRA and their political representatives in this House not tell people the reason Tom Oliver, a farmer on the Cooley Peninsula, was murdered in August 1991? What does the current Sinn Féin Deputy for County Louth have to say about the murder of Mr. Oliver? Does he have any relevant information to give the Garda Síochána or Smithwick tribunal about the murder or the disappearance of Jean McConville?

It is my responsibility, as an Irish Republican, to ask these questions and it is the responsibility of the political leaders of Sinn Féin, who provided political support to the people who carried out these murders, to provide answers rather than evading their responsibilities. The Fianna Fáil Party supports the motion.

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