Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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1. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State or British Foreign Secretary in relation to the motions passed unanimously by Dáil Éireann requesting the British Government to release the papers and-or files pertaining to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings of 1974; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8251/14]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The Dublin-Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974 resulted in the death of 33 civilians and the wounding of almost 300 people, the highest number of casualties in any one day during the conflict known as the Troubles. The loyalist paramilitary group, the UVF, claimed responsibility for the bombings. There are various credible allegations that elements of British security forces colluded with the UVF in those bombings. The Oireachtas joint committee on justice called the attacks an act of international terrorism. In July 2008, the then Government Chief Whip, Pat Carey, moved a motion on this matter that had the unanimous support of all parties and individuals in this House and a similar motion was also passed in 2011. We are still awaiting a British response to those motions.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The 17th of May this year will mark the 40th anniversary of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings. With 33 killed, that terrible day saw the highest number of casualties on any single day during the Troubles. A further 300 people were injured. Many families across this island suffered terrible losses during the Troubles, including the Dublin-Monaghan families. I think of them today and of their ongoing loss.

On 11 May 2011, shortly after this Government took office, I met with members of Justice for the Forgotten, the organisation which, as part of the Pat Finucane Centre, provides support for victims of the Troubles in this jurisdiction, including the Dublin and Monaghan bombing families. The Taoiseach met with them subsequently on 18 July 2013. Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Department of the Taoiseach officials have also met with Justice for the Forgotten, most recently on 28 January in Brussels as part of a wider meeting with victims groups and on 31 January in Dublin. The Taoiseach and I have reiterated our support for the all-party Dáil motions of July 2008 and May 2011 urging the British Government to hand over all original documents in its possession relating to the bombings.

In a recent publication Lethal Allies, supported by the Pat Finucane Centre, links are alleged between those who carried out the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and those involved in a total of 120 deaths during the Troubles. These are serious allegations and I have asked to meet with the author of the book, Anne Cadwallader, and with Margaret Urwin of Justice for the Forgotten next month to discuss them in further detail. I am aware that Justice for the Forgotten addressed the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement on 16 January 2014. I welcome this and the continued all-party support for their campaign on behalf of the Dublin-Monaghan families.

I have raised the matter of access to information related to the bombings with my ministerial counterparts in the British Government and will continue to do so. The Taoiseach has done likewise. The Government will continue to pursue the issue at ministerial and official level.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Tánaiste for his reply. Would he agree that the motions put forward and unanimously endorsed by all in this House in 2008 and 2011 requesting the British Government to allow access by an independent international judicial figure to all original documentation held by the British Government relating to the atrocities that occurred in this jurisdiction, and which were inquired into by Mr. Justice Barron, for the purposes of assessing said documents with the aim of assisting in the resolution of these crimes were reasonable requests? Unfortunately, as outlined in Anne Cadwallader's book those requests from this House have, in terms of the British Government's lack of response, fallen on deaf ears.

The Tánaiste will be aware that I recently had the opportunity to meet with Secretary of State Villiers and the Labour Party spokesperson Ivan Lewis, with whom I raised the need for the British Government to respond positively to the requests of this House. Mr. Justice Barron outlined in the very good work done by him in this regard in 2003 the clear collusion that occurred with some State security forces in assisting the UVF in those terrible atrocities.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I fully support the resolution which was passed unanimously by this House. The Government will continue to pursue that motion with the British authorities, as it has done to date. I should also mention that the issue of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings also needs to be considered in the context of the discussion on how to deal in a comprehensive manner with the past, which was the subject of the Haass talks prior to Christmas and which continues to be the subject of talks between the parties in Northern Ireland.

The Deputy will be aware that the proposals now under consideration by the Northern Ireland parties envisage the establishment of a historical investigations unit to take over Troubles-related death cases currently within the remit of the PSNI's historical inquiries team and the police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. It also proposes the establishment in Northern Ireland of an independent commission for information retrieval to enable families seek and receive privately information about conflict related events. The commission could also, with the passing of some time, assess the presence of certain patterns or themes across conflict related cases. While these bodies would not have jurisdiction in the Irish State, there may be intended implications in what the Northern Ireland parties set in place for Ireland, which the Irish Government would have to consider carefully in due course. In this regard, I have already made known the Government's commitment to playing an active and constructive role in dealing with the past and encouraging agreement on a new architecture.

What is currently being discussed in Northern Ireland and the framework for the receipt of new information on Troubles-related cases clearly has implications for the Dublin-Monaghan bombings survivors.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the Tánaiste's comments. Would he agree that the Justice for the Forgotten, in particular Margaret Urwin and Anne Cadwallader, are doing excellent work in campaigning for truth and justice for the victims of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and other atrocities, some of which occurred in my own constituency? It behoves all of us, coming up to the 40th anniversary of those atrocities, to try to ensure that the British Government responds positively to our requests. I know from all of the conversations I have had in meetings with the families of the victims that all they want is the truth. It is a very basic request for families who continue to suffer owing to the death of and serious injury caused to family members.

The Justice for the Forgotten group needs assistance to continue its work. I hope that the Department of Foreign Affairs will be able to provide some financial support to this group, the work of which is important to so many families in this jurisdiction and north of the Border, families who understandably continue to grieve for the loss of loved ones.

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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As I said earlier, I have read Anne Cadwallader's book. I have met with some of the families of those about whom the book is written and I intend to meet shortly with Anne Cadwallader and Margaret Urwin.

I intend to continue to pursue the unanimous wish of this House for the provision of information with the British Government. I hope the arrangements that are now being discussed for dealing with the past will be helpful to us in that regard. I also intend to discuss with Ms Margaret Urwin the options open to her and her organisation to apply to my Department for funding.