Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

These recent reports by the Police Ombudsman are very important. They tell us again how the search for truth and justice still eludes us and indicate the efforts required to establish the truth so there can be justice and, from justice, healing. Many of the Deputies today and the Minister have rightly spoken against the British Government's proposed amnesty. It is not about truth or justice and it will not bring healing, despite what the British Government may claim. For all of us to stand full-throated against it is very important and certainly that is what all of us have done. Many references have been made to Ray McCord and his work in challenging this. As Deputy Howlin said, the proposed amnesty really has brought together more people in opposition to it than the Good Friday Agreement brought together. It is quite an achievement by the British Government to bring us all together against it so quickly.

I am struck by one of the things Deputy Richmond said about buy-in from all entities. That is very important. An entity I feel needs to do more buying in is the Irish Government itself. I have spoken here before about the Independent Commission for Information Retrieval, ICIR, which the Minister mentioned in his introductory remarks. There is a treaty there providing for how it will work. There is a structure there. It needs legislation behind it. The important thing that we could be doing is publishing our legislation on how the ICIR will work in this jurisdiction. This would show the British Government that regardless of its attempts to bury the truth, we are moving on with attempts to uncover the truth and with what we agreed to do. That is something the British Government seems to be struggling to do. Publishing the legislation on the ICIR and beginning pre-legislative scrutiny would allow us to have these conversations, to continue raising this topic, to show leadership and to continue pushing the British Government backwards on this. Not only should we be supportive of the Good Friday Agreement, Stormont House and the new approach; we also need to be taking action. Pushing the ICIR from our side is one very important thing we can do.

The other thing I would highlight is an example of a historical investigations unit. This has been very successful in Northern Ireland. There are many questions from the unionist and loyalist communities about the Irish Government's roles.

Our setting up of an independent investigation unit to examine these kinds of matters could be very important. Again, it would show leadership and that we are not afraid of the truth. It would help to provide truth, justice and, ultimately, healing for the families and victims.

This morning I found myself thinking about the letter allegedly sent by the UVF to Mr. Charles Haughey. It was sitting in the National Archives for 30 years. It contained allegations of collusion and a statement by the UVF to the effect that the British Government was using its force for X, Y, and Z. What else is sitting in the archives that has not yet been released? An historical investigations unit that has the power to examine the archives and piece things together would be incredibly important. It could operate outside the ICIR. These are two things the Irish Government can do to start playing its part in helping to let the light in, blowing the dust off the archives and helping to uncover the truth.

We need to continue to stand unanimously in this Chamber against the British Government's proposals because, if pushed to their logical conclusion, they will render anything we do very difficult and, perhaps, moot. We need to stand together against the British Government's attempts to bury the truth. We need to do more to uncover the truth in Northern Ireland but we also need buy-in from all entities, including the Irish Government.

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