Dáil debates
Thursday, 20 June 2024
Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions
Dublin-Monaghan Bombings
9:30 am
Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source
That sounds like the families will never be given the files, will never be given an explanation and will never get the truth and justice they deserve. It is shocking beyond belief that the families and survivors of this atrocity were put under Garda surveillance. They are entitled to know who ordered that, what files were generated on foot of that and why it was done. The original investigation was closed down after ten weeks. There have to be files relating to these things, but everything is lost, cannot be found or cannot be provided to the families or the legal representatives of the families and the victims. If, as we know, Britain does not want to release this stuff because of the implications of exposing British state collusion in these atrocities, it stinks to high heaven that the Irish State is not being open and transparent about the information that is available and about decisions the Garda took, the failure to investigate and the failure to interview families and victims until Boucher knocked on their doors 40 or 45 years later. This is shocking stuff. It stinks to high heaven. What the Minister is really saying is that we will never know the truth until the Garda decides to disclose the information, and it will probably never disclose the information because there are very serious questions to be answered.
It really is not good enough, and the Government has to do something here. Ultimately, the Garda is answerable to the Department of Justice and to the Government.
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