Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I join my colleagues in acknowledging the presence of the families of some of the victims as well as members of Justice for the Forgotten who are present in the Gallery. I extend my solidarity and sympathies to them. The 50th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings will be marked on 17 May. Fifty years on, the families are still looking for truth and justice. It is important this Dáil renews the mandates that were established by previous motions on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. It is welcome that it has been indicated that this motion will receive cross-party support today.

It is important that the Government takes action to deliver on the core essence of this and previous motions.

All victims are entitled to truth and justice. The British Government's recently passed legacy Act is aimed at denying truth and justice and covering up the malevolent part it played in fuelling the conflict. We know the bombings were carried out by loyalists and British agents with logistical and technical support from British security personnel, yet no one has ever been brought to justice, while the British Government maintains its denials and refuses to release files and information on the attacks. Previous Irish Governments and institutions of this State do not have a proud record either when it comes to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. "Anatomy of a Massacre", a new documentary to mark the 50th anniversary of the bombings, refers to the silent years between the bombings and the early nineties, when they were never raised by the Government or the Opposition of the day, with the media compliantly ignoring the bombings during this period also. Raising this matter in every meeting with the British Prime Minister should be a priority for any Taoiseach. Too often, previous Taoisigh were content to admit they had not raised the matter. The Irish Government must use every diplomatic tool at its disposal to encourage the British to co-operate and release all relevant files. Truth and justice must be pursued and obtained.

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