Results 2,961-2,980 of 18,851 for speaker:Fergus O'Dowd

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I endorse everything Deputy Brendan Smith says. The Deputy spoke of Senators who are unavoidably absent. We will hear their contributions when they come in, if that is okay, because the Taoiseach is addressing the Seanad. It is only appropriate that they would be there, and here, to speak. I call Deputy Carroll MacNeill of Fine Gael, who has 15 minutes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Of course, by all means.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Mr. Knupfer stated the commission is absolutely satisfied Columba McVeigh was murdered and buried at Bragan Bog and that 21 acres, or 8.5 ha, has been searched. How much of the bog remains? How large is it in area?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am not seeking any information about any person or persons, but Mr. Knupfer stated he is absolutely satisfied that is where his body lies. He raised the question the commission may not have been given the correct location and stated it is something of a mystery. Does he mean the body may have been removed? I do not know whether he wants to comment on that. The implication is that while...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is the commission satisfied that, in the identification of human remains beneath soil, whatever scientific method is used to bounce signals off the bog can penetrate down sufficiently, as archaeologists do? I believe Mr. Knupfer is a specialist in forensic archaeology. Has that technology been exhausted, even for the wider area of the bog, which I appreciate from his commentary is very...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: We will certainly take up Mr. Knupfer on that suggestion, if the committee agrees. We will visit at the appropriate time and in the appropriate manner, which he might specify. The light detection and ranging, LiDAR, survey, which is carried out by aeroplane, can detect the presence of metals and differentiate the terrain under the surface to a not-insignificant depth. Could such a survey...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I am not sure whether this is a helpful suggestion, but I believe Ordnance Survey Ireland has a LiDAR aeroplane it uses to survey nationally. If it were possible for us, working with the commission, to write to that agency to have that done, would that make sense, assuming it has not been done? Notwithstanding what Mr. Knupfer said, if it might be helpful, it could be another opportunity,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: The committee will discuss that as an option and we can make inquiries of the line Department to see what the outcome might be.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is there anyone else that Sinn Féin would like to address? There are 11 minutes left in the slot.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: That is fine. I just want to make sure that everybody from Sinn Féin is clear that they are not using their time. That is their prerogative, of course. I am conscious that the Seanad is sitting and that Senators will be-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I do now know if any of our Senators have arrived yet. If it is helpful, we can go into a second round. I just want to see if I can try to draw a few of the threads together. We should take up the invitation, at the appropriate time and under the appropriate circumstances, that Mr. Knupfer made that we visit the site of Bragan Bog. Perhaps there are other appropriate visits we could do....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Is Deputy Brendan Smith finished? Is that okay?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I absolutely concur. Indeed, it was sad and moving to hear Mr. McVeigh's emotional contribution and his charge as well. Mr. McVeigh wants the truth. He wants to bury his brother. People know where his brother's remains are and they are not telling him. Mr. McVeigh has not got closure. I do not know if anybody else wants to comment. They should feel free.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: For Mr. McVeigh, yes.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: We have asked them. They are on our list, I think, for our last meeting. Representatives from the WAVE Trauma Centre are coming.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Of course, let us do that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: If it is helpful, the WAVE group is coming here on 9 December. We can put that in our diary.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: I think we have a consensus. Everybody has addressed us. The clerk to the committee will take note of our summary: that we visit the site or sites, if it is appropriate, in the manner in which the commission is happy to bring us there so that we are not asking the commission to compromise anything at all; that we will pass a motion, if we agree it now, worded by the clerk to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement: Engagement with the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (18 Nov 2021)

Fergus O'Dowd: Absolutely. If that is in order then, I thank Mr. Dalton, commissioner, Mrs. Flanagan, commissioner and Mr. Knupfer, who is the lead forensic scientist and investigator. Hopefully, their presence here today will help people come forward to give the closure to the families of the murdered, namely, Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh and Robert Nairac. They have our deepest concerns. We would love...