Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Members for their contributions to the debate on this all-party motion on this important issue. I pay special tribute to members of the Ballymurphy families present in this House today for the debate. I know the pain of the loss of their loved ones will never cease. I hope, however, they will take some comfort from the fact that their quest for truth about what happened on those awful days in August 1971 is one which this House continues to support. I also acknowledge the presence here today of representatives of the McGurk's bar families who are here in support of the Ballymurphy families. They, too, suffered the pain of losing loved ones in violent circumstances in 1971. They have had to campaign over many years for truth about the circumstances of that horrendous bombing which scarred the lives of so many New Lodge families in the early days of the Troubles.

I acknowledge the presence in the Gallery of the British ambassador, Dominick Chilcott, and Alex Attwood, MLA. I also acknowledge the local knowledge and experience of the uachtarán of Sinn Féin.

Today’s motion sets out clearly what still needs to be done to achieve justice and truth for the deaths at Ballymurphy. A way needs to be found to get to the truth of what happened on those dreadful days almost 44 years ago and the role of the British Army and others in those events. It is important this House highlights our collective support for the Ballymurphy families in their quest. In particular, we support the families' call for an independent panel of inquiry into the context, circumstances and aftermath of those deaths. We regret and disagree with the decision of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in April 2014 not to establish independent reviews into certain Troubles related deaths, including those at Ballymurphy. The reasons given were wholly insufficient. It is insufficient to claim the balance of public interest does not lie in favour of establishing an independent panel. I take issue with the statement of the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, that “it would be highly likely that an independent review panel would cut across the ongoing legal process and would not necessarily provide any additional information or answers that are not already available to the families”.

It is important we reiterate our call that incidents such as Ballymurphy, and other cases of similar circumstance and contention, are dealt with in a manner and a timescale that meets international human rights standards. Where any state is involved in the killing of civilians, it has a particular duty to investigate. This is a fundamental principle of international human rights.

More than 3,500 lives were lost in the course of the Troubles, an appalling legacy which has left wounds which will never fully heal. We need, however, to continue to do everything we possibly can to meet the challenge of dealing with the legacy of the past. I believe the comprehensive framework envisaged in the Stormont House Agreement for dealing with Troubles related deaths offers the best path towards dealing with that terrible legacy. The agreement among all the Northern Ireland Executive parties and both Governments on the establishment of that framework represented a major breakthrough on an issue which has been so divisive for so long. The Stormont House Agreement framework is founded on a set of key principles, namely, to promote reconciliation, to uphold the rule of law, to acknowledge and to address the suffering of victims and survivors, to facilitate the pursuit of justice and information recovery, to be human rights compliant, and to be balanced, proportionate, transparent, fair and equitable.

The Government will continue to do everything it can to make that framework a reality. It is the very least that we owe to the families, relatives and friends of those killed during the Troubles. It will be noted the first principle listed in the Stormont House Agreement framework is to promote reconciliation. By doing so, we will honour the lives and the memory of all those whose lives were lost in the Troubles, including those individual men and women killed during the terrible events in Ballymurphy in August 1971. As was eloquently stated in the declaration of support to the Good Friday Agreement:

We must never forget those who have died or been injured, and their families. But we can best honour them through a fresh start, in which we firmly dedicate ourselves to the achievement of reconciliation, tolerance, and mutual trust, and to the protection and vindication of the human rights of all.

This motion contributes to that fresh start and I commend it to the House.

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