Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Tánaiste's statement on the total unsuitability of the British legacy Bill. It is appalling legislation. The only thing that can be done with it is to bin it in its entirety. It gives an amnesty to murderers belonging to the British state forces and to murderers from the paramilitary organisations. These people wreaked havoc on this island for too long. I said to the Taoiseach yesterday in the House that a further appeal must be made to the British Prime Minister, clearly stating that he must take cognisance of the united political view on this island, including from all political parties in Northern Ireland, from all in the Oireachtas and from human rights organisations nationally and internationally, that this legislation is absolutely reprehensible. It gives an amnesty to people who carried out vile and evil murders and other crimes. It will put an end suddenly to inquests and investigations. I have worked and campaigned with families who have striven for the truth for decades. The British Government is telling those people to forget about the work they have done and the very gracious and dignified way they have campaigned to get to the truth. I have said often in this House that the families I know and have had the privilege and honour to work along with are not looking for revenge and for somebody to be put in jail for years to come, if it were ever possible to get a prosecution. The minimum they want is the truth about who, in paramilitary organisations and in British state forces, carried out those heinous crimes.

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