Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Just before Christmas, the former Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, acknowledged the feelings of this State when he recalled that the investigation into the Dublin-Monaghan bombings closed after just three months. He was trying to explain the complexities of dealing with the past. He made it clear, and we would endorse this, that it is totally unacceptable for the British Government to use national security as an excuse not to co-operate on this hugely important issue.

Mr. Justice Barron said, "Given that we are dealing with acts of international terrorism that were colluded in by the British security forces, the British government cannot legitimately refuse to co-operate with investigations and attempts to get to the truth". However, that is exactly what this British Government is doing. It is not just a passive British Government, it is actively working to undermine processes that can get to the truth. It is refusing to fund legacy requests, inquests and investigations, all in clear breach of international human rights obligations.

I put this to the British Secretary of State in a number of conversations over the last week or so, but I asked myself why he should he listen to me if the same point is not consistently being made by our leaders here in the Government. Raising this or another issue with the British Prime Minister or Secretary of State is not the same as having a consistent domestic and international strategy in Britain and Europe, and at the United Nations, to persuade the British Government to co-operate. I put the same point to Teachta Micheál Martin when he was in government as Minister for Foreign Affairs, that if the Government is serious about helping victims it needs to publicly challenge the British government on this national security excuse.

The Stormont House Agreement proposes the establishment of an independent commission on information retrieval, which would cover both jurisdictions on this island and deal with all conflict-related deaths. As part of that process, both Governments drafted and published an international agreement to establish the independent commission on information retrieval. It was led jointly in the Houses of the Oireachtas and Westminster in January, but it has not yet been commenced. It is sitting there because the British Government objects and uses this national security excuse. So what is the Government doing about that? The Government has an obligation to proceed with ratifying this legislation irrespective of what a British Government may do. The Government has a responsibility to show leadership on this issue. Both Governments signed up to the Stormont House Agreement which is sitting there now, so I call upon the Taoiseach to move on this issue. Perhaps then we will get the British Government to co-operate in a way it had not done thus far.

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