Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I welcome to the Gallery the sole survivor of the Miami Showband massacre and the brother of the three young Reavey brothers who were shot dead in a sectarian attack. They are here because they head up a group known as the Truth and Reconciliation Platform. To my knowledge, the only real condemnation of the appointment of Drew Harris as Garda Commissioner was made by Stephen Travers who survived the Miami Showband massacre. Mr. Travers condemned the appointment for all the right reasons and we all heard him on "Morning Ireland" outline those reasons. I am shocked by the silence in this House about this appointment. I lived through the Troubles and, as a young woman from a republican family, I witnessed the distress of families who were victims of sectarian attacks, from both sides. This group represents families, victims and survivors from both sides and should be commended on that.

The appointment of Drew Harris as Garda Commissioner is like sticking a knife in their back. Mr. Harris has a record of blocking truth for the truth and reconciliation process that is needed to achieve closure on many issues in the North. I refer to what was said about him by a Belfast judge, Mr. Justice Treacy, in 2010 when he accused Mr. Harris of an extreme abuse of power in closing down the Historical Enquiries Team, removing its budget and powers. In doing so, he make clear that the state was not genuinely committed to addressing the concerns of the families, survivors and victims.

When one has a conversation with survivors, families and victims one realises that for many years they have been blocked from finding the truth. The Minister should think about that. How would he feel if his son, brother or someone else close to him was killed and he wanted to know who killed him and why and how he was killed? As the Minister will be aware, the collusion of the British and Northern Ireland state in these killings is common knowledge and a Belfast court has ordered an investigation into the matter. We have been trying to achieve a similar investigation into state collusion in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. The survivors and relatives of the victims of the Miami Showband massacre are taking a case to court. We know there are major question marks surrounding the involvement of Drew Harris in the blocking of information to these families.

I have a simple question for the Minister. Could he envisage a scenario in which the Garda Commissioner, namely, Drew Harris, is arrested and taken North to attend a trial that the survivors and families of the Miami Showband massacre manage to secure and give evidence on why he blocked the release of at least two files that pertain to what was known as the Glenanne gang? This group colluded with British MI5 forces to carry out at least 89 sectarian murders. How would the Minister, as a member of the Cabinet and Government, feel if the Garda Commissioner, who he so proudly appointed to do such a great job, was arrested on the ground that he blocked justice being delivered to the families, relatives and survivors of these horrendous sectarian murders? That is a possibility in the future and I would like the Minister to address it because that is what is at stake with this appointment. Put to one side the hurt and the stab in the back to the families and victims of collusion, who need closure, how does this appointment compromise the State, the Minister's office and the role of the Garda Commissioner potentially in the future?

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