Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity) | Oireachtas source

"His apology means nothing, we need him to go back to the MoD and tell them to tell the truth, tell our legal team the names of the soldiers who murdered our loved ones and ask them why." These are the words of Briege Voyle, whose mother, Joan Connolly, was murdered in Ballymurphy. She spoke in the immediate aftermath of the coroner's verdict, which made it clear that these were civilians who posed no threat and were unarmed. At least nine of the ten were certainly shot by the British army. She spoke at the same time as the British Prime Minister was wrapping his arms around plans for a blanket amnesty for British soldiers in an attempt to whitewash the role that the British state played in the North.

I have no faith in the British state, the Irish State or the forces of nationalism and unionism to resolve historical issues meaningfully. All have an interest in obscuring the role they played during the Troubles. Instead, we need a process independent of these forces that can deliver truth and justice for victims and their families. Representing working-class people from across the sectarian divide, trade union activists can play an important role in such a process alongside genuine human rights campaigners and others.

See this speech in context