Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I am grateful to the Leader of the House and party leaders for putting No. 2 on the agenda so swiftly and agreeing this matter unanimously before Armistice Day, ensuring that a strong signal is sent from this House to the British Government.

Yesterday, the British Government outlined its proposals to deal with a sensitive matter that has been part and parcel of the ongoing peace discussions for four years, namely, the "on the runs", those who were convicted or not convicted of terrorist offences in both jurisdictions in the past 35 years who are no longer in Northern Ireland or here. This is a sensitive issue that has been flagged since the Weston Park talks and which had to be addressed.

When we deal with it, however, we should be well aware of the considerable pain it will cause for the victims of terrorist violence on all sides of the equation in Northern Ireland and here. Both Houses should send a strong signal to the paramilitaries that they have a responsibility to let back into Northern Ireland those many hundreds of people they banished over the past 35 years who are afraid to return. Could the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform come into the House to make a statement on this matter?

The British Government has proposed a tribunal that would, in each case of a person on the run who returns to Northern Ireland, find him or her guilty or not guilty and then free the person on licence, whereas our Government has proposed an eligibility board to determine if an individual will be pardoned. The two Governments have different approaches and I would like to hear why the Government has chosen this route as opposed to the informal criminal route which would at least attach guilt where no conviction had initially occurred. The House should look at this matter in the next two weeks.