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

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. He will recall that at our British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly meeting in his county, a call was made, particularly by British parliamentarians, for better engagement by their own Government with the Irish Government, be it at the British-Irish Council or the British–Irish Intergovernmental Conference. We hope that, in future, the British Prime Minister and senior ministers will be regular attendees and participants at those crucial bilateral meetings where, over the years, successive taoisigh, tánaistí and ministers for foreign affairs have always participated. No doubt the Taoiseach will meet the British Prime Minister shortly after 4 July, whoever holds that office. I appeal to the Taoiseach, in his first engagement with the Prime Minister, to refer again to the legacy issue. As we know, the British Tory Government put this deplorable legacy Act through Parliament. It is perpetrator-centred instead of victim-centred. I am thinking of the lack of co-operation by successive British Governments with regard to giving access to files and papers pertaining to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings.

I am also thinking of the lack of adequate response by the authorities in Northern Ireland with regard to investigations into the Belturbet bombing of 1972 when two young teenagers were killed. The Taoiseach and his predecessors would have heard me speak often on these very important issues in the House. I appeal to him to ensure that in his first engagement with the British Prime Minister, the legacy Act is discussed. Thankfully, the British Labour Party has committed to repealing the Act. The fight for truth and justice must continue. One way of continuing that is for the British Government to repeal that deplorable legislation through which it has dismissed the victims and their families and is ensuring that perpetrators of the most vile crimes - perpetrators from the British state forces and those from paramilitary organisations - will literally be able to give themselves immunity from the most serious of crimes.

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