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

I ask the Minister to give me an assurance that every effort will be made to ensure that the work of the historical inquiries unit will commence at the earliest possible time. I asked the Secretary of State and I ask the Minister now that no blockage be put in the way of the referral of particular incidents, carnage and loss of life to that historical inquiries unit, as it has to be approved by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland.

I previously raised in the House the terrible bombing and loss of life in Belturbet in my own county in December 1972. A formal request will be made to have that bombing incident and unfortunate loss of life on that evening put before the historical inquiries unit. I have made that request to the Secretary of State and I hope the Minister can support the request. I asked the Secretary of State that the British Government give a positive response to the unanimous requests of this House in 2008 and 2011 to provide access to files and papers relating to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings of 1974. This issue needs to be constantly pursued with the British Government, because families need to get the truth.

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