Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Yes, but the context of my question is the establishing of a mechanism to deal with this on the public record. This is not an allegation. I am not making an allegation at all in regard to this. Deputy Adams himself has said that this is the way the Provisional IRA dealt with these issues, and that it was unfortunate and that it was a pity it happened that way. He then tried to say it was because of the lack of policing at the time and all of that. In these cases, however, both in the Maíria Cahill case and the Paudie McGahon case, we are talking about much more recent times.

I put it to the Taoiseach that the reason a mechanism is required is that there is a lot of fear. These people who come forward have been afraid for a long time. They are afraid of the IRA and the IRA community. There is a palpable fear in terms of what might happen to them. We cannot dismiss that because it is just the reality, and we can hear it from the mouths of those who have been abused. There is an absence of trust, particularly when they have been through the kangaroo courts in regard to these issues. There is a fundamental fear and an absence of trust. Not everyone will come forward and the majority will not come forward for those reasons. They will say to themselves: "Leave well alone." It takes a particular type of courage and commitment to come forward, and it is the individuals themselves who make that decision. I want to stress that point. We know from other inquiries, however, that if mechanisms are created with confidential frameworks and so on, it is possible to get a better understanding of what happened.

I am under no illusions, despite what has been said, that Deputy Adams himself will be very well aware of the mechanisms and the procedures by which the IRA dealt with all of these issues, because he said it himself. He denies other things. I do not know if the Ceann Comhairle would say I am making allegations if I say that I know he was a former chief of staff of the IRA. It has been said.

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