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

I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. I sincerely hope that in any discussions with the British Government, Prime Minister or members of the British Government, regardless of the agenda, that the British Government’s despicable and deplorable legacy legislation is discussed. Many times in this House and within meetings of parliamentary parties and Oireachtas committees, we have unanimously called for the repeal of that legislation. No amendment by the British Government of that legislation will ever make it acceptable to the victims and the families of victims who have suffered so much for many decades now.

I also sincerely hope that the Taoiseach raised the ongoing issue of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974. I think on four occasions this House made unanimous calls on the British Government to give access to an independent international legal person to all papers and files pertaining to those tragedies on that day both in my own constituency and in Dublin city. As the Taoiseach knows, I have always referred to other atrocities in my own constituency, and particularly the Belturbet bombing of December 1972 when young, innocent teenagers were killed. In all of the discussions with the British Government, whether with us at parliamentary level or at Government level, and at Head of Government level in particular, the need to address legacy and reconciliation must be to the forefront in all discussions. I would like an assurance that those issues were raised in all discussions with the British Government, the British Prime Minister and other members of that Government as well.

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