Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have been involved in the discussions on how structures can be put in place to deal with legacy issues. I have met many families, both unionist and nationalist, since I started this job, which I am privileged to have. The stories are heartbreaking; families have been waiting for far too long for truth and justice in many cases. There is a big responsibility on everybody, whether in the context of police forces, governments, politicians or community leaders, to co-operate with those structures. A public consultation process is currently under way in Northern Ireland on dealing with legacy issues and legacy structures, and that will continue. To try to bring Mr. Drew Harris into this in a way that potentially undermines him before he even starts his new job as Garda Commissioner is wrong. He has been through a long and testing recruitment process and has come through it as the best candidate. It says a lot about Ireland that is positive - that we are accepting and largely welcoming of the second most senior officer in the Police Service of Northern Ireland to lead An Garda Síochána and manage the reform that is required going into the future.

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