Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Stormont House Agreement provided for the establishment of a number of things, including a suite of bodies to address the historic investigations unit and to take forward outstanding investigations in Northern Ireland into troubles-related details. There is also the independent commission for information retrieval which, as Deputy Adams pointed out, would enable victims and survivors not just to seek, but privately receive, information about the troubles-related deaths of their next-of-kin. The Oral History Archive is providing a central place for people from all backgrounds throughout the UK and Ireland to share experiences and narratives related to the troubles.

Deputy Martin asked me if I raised this matter with Prime Minister May, which I did. It is not the first time that this has been raised. I told the new prime minister that this was a matter of serious concern to people in Ireland. We want elements of the past to be focused upon and action taken on them.

The last motion that was passed on 17 May 2016, which was the 42nd anniversary of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings, requested the Government to continue raising the matter with the British Government. It directed the Ceann Comhairle, the Clerk and the Chairs of relevant committees, when appointed, to do likewise with their respective British counterparts in order to actively pursue the implementation of the 2008 and 2011 all-party motions.

I discussed this with Prime Minister May's predecessor, David Cameron, in Stormont. If people are serious about this, the independent commission for information retrieval holds out the possibility of providing information that is requested from anybody who lost a loved one from any side, and that all of the information will be made available to them by an independent, international judicial figurehead. I raised the question specifically as to whether this would be blocked by the British military machine. At that time, Mr. Cameron answered that as he was only a child when most of this was going on he had no objection to this kind of information being made available in terms of the truth. This has not been commenced yet, but the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Flanagan, the British Secretary of State and the Northern Ireland Executive took part in a meeting to review the Stormont House Agreement. Part of the case the Minister made was that we should get on with the business of implementing the three suites that were part of the Stormont House Agreement.

The Independent Reporting Commission, which comprises Professor Monica McWilliams, Mr. John McBurney, Mr. Tim O'Connor and Mr. Mitchell Reiss, will meet - if they have not already met - in January this year. The Government approved the general scheme of an independent reporting commission Bill for priority drafting. The legislation will be brought before the Oireachtas in the near future.

Despite our conversations about Brexit and a focus on Northern Ireland, when I get the opportunity shortly I will raise this matter again. If we are serious about it, and if the Stormont House Agreement is to mean anything, this would hold out a real opportunity for people on either side to find out information about the cause of death of their loved ones. I recall being up in Ballymurphy, as Deputy Adams is aware, seeing a copy of the faxed sheet stating that his father was dead. These are legacy issues of the past about which Deputy Martin has often spoken. They are very hurtful for people and they need to be dealt with.

What was put together in the Stormont House Agreement holds out the possibility, if people are willing, of dealing with what is locked away in files wherever. In that way, the information people need to know concerning how they lost loved ones on either side would be made available. I will raise the matter with the British Prime Minister shortly when I have an opportunity to do so.

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