Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Arms Trial, along with the controversy surrounding it, is an important part of the past and is particularly important to the families involved, as the Deputy outlined, occurring as it did against a backdrop of civil disturbance in the North on an unparalleled scale. While we are now, thankfully, in a different space, we are in a period of genuine hope that is based more on constructive work by many officeholders. Peace has been embraced and violence rejected. It is nevertheless the case that today, 50 years later, the legacy of the Troubles still resonates across the island of Ireland.

I must stress that it is not appropriate for me, as Minister for Justice and Equality, to speculate as to the intentions or the activities of those at that time or to comment on the information that may have been made available to institutions. The Deputy will appreciate, however, that it is not possible, given the current restrictions, to physically examine all of the remaining documents that exist in my Department to establish whether any records relevant to this case exist. I will give the Deputy a commitment that if any records exist, they will be reviewed and will be released as appropriate.

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