Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad the Minister of State is present to take this debate.

More than 3,600 people died in the troubled era that scarred this island for more than three decades. The wave of violence that consumed so many lives in the North has left a dark legacy for an entire generation, in particular on the shoulders of the families of those who lost their lives in the Troubles. Out of that bleak period, the Good Friday Agreement emerges as a shining light. For the first time since 1920, the entire island voted as one, overwhelmingly in favour of moving beyond the bloody battles of the past towards a shared future. It was a privilege for all of us to vote in the May 1998 referendum, which received massive endorsement both North and South. That was the first time since 1918 the one question was put to the people on this island. That Agreement was not a free pass to the individuals who chose the route of violence that terrorised the North over 30 years, nor was it a general moment of collective amnesia. My constituency, a Border county, was of course affected badly by the Troubles, as was all of the island.

Yesterday's announcement by the Attorney General of Northern Ireland, John Larkin, that all prosecutions of crimes related to the Troubles committed prior to 1998 should cease was a shocking sign of indifference towards bereaved families and their inherent right to truth and justice. Beyond criticisms of the constitutionality of such an action or its viability in the face of international law, it is a basic fundamental tenet of common decency - the very bedrock of society - that victims deserve the truth. Yesterday's policy kite flown by the Northern Attorney General denies that basic claim to justice. It comes at a deeply unfortunate time when the Haass talks are tasked with setting out a coherent framework to confront the myriad of issues surrounding the past. The announcement would also appear to be co-ordinated with a PSNI report lamenting the costs of investigating cold cases and the burden of resources employed by the historical investigations team. I sincerely hope that it is not softening the ground up for a move away from the State's obligation to uphold the rule of law, which exists regardless of timing.

The Attorney General in the North has called for amnesty legislation to be enacted in Westminster to encompass the UK and advocated that mirror legislation should be put through the Houses of the Oireachtas. In effect, this would mean that grievous crimes perpetrated here, such as the Disappeared who continue to languish in a limbo of terror or roving unaccountable British army death squads, as uncovered by BBC Panorama investigators, would go unmarked by the State. Anne Cadwallader's recent publication details the bloody activities of some of those who were employed in the State forces.

The past on this island is touched with sadness and tragedy. It represents a grave challenge to all of us who are working towards building a future free from the sectarian passions and violence that tainted the lives of previous generations. However, this does not mean running way from difficult questions. It does not mean that all victims were the same and that all who lived through those decades share the blame. In reality there were those who took up the gun and resorted to ruthless violence for their own ends, while the majority sought peaceful means to achieve legitimate aims.

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