Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive statement and outline of the history of this issue. As I said in my opening remarks, we are entering the end game in respect of the quest for justice. Thirty-five years is a lifetime for the families involved to await justice. Therefore, it is imperative that we reassure those families and those campaigning for justice on their behalf that every measure is being taken towards justice and that the Irish authorities remain vigilant to all of the possible developments in respect of a successful prosecution and conviction in this case.

In that regard, I have a specific request. Will the Department of Defence or the Department of Foreign Affairs appoint a specific person to liaise with the individual families and the committee seeking justice? In light of the significant developments in recent days and weeks, it is important those families are brought up to speed in respect of all of the issues, some of which may not be in the public domain, so they are as informed as possible.

The Minister of State referred to the fact there is an Irish ambassador in the region. Lebanon has an embassy in London and Ireland is covered by that ambassador. I do not wish to be prescriptive in terms of what should happen at diplomatic level, but perhaps it would be appropriate that the Irish Embassy in London would make contact with the Lebanese ambassador to London, whose brief covers Ireland, HE Inaam Osseiran, to convey the continuing conviction of our Government that this matter must be brought to a successful conclusion.

Will the Minister of State ensure the families are briefed, whether by somebody from his Department or the Department of Foreign Affairs, and that we remain vigilant in regard to the crossover between law and politics in this volatile region of the Middle East? We must ensure nothing untoward happens between the detention of Mr. Mahmoud Bazzi and a prosecution being brought. As mentioned earlier, there has been speculation in some quarters that it may be difficult to get a successful prosecution.

I thank the Minister of State for all that he, his colleagues and previous Administrations have done. This search for justice has been a long journey - 35 years - but I hope we are now facing the end game.

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