Martin Mansergh (Fianna Fail)

I fully support and commend Mr. Peter Mulvany and the Shot at Dawn Campaign. I also commend the Minister and the Department of Foreign Affairs for their work on this report. My colleagues Senators Mooney and Brian Hayes have led the way on this issue. The executions were an awful episode in an awful war. The Irish were volunteers and this was dreadful recompense for often intrinsically minor disciplinary offences.

There is no doubt that this was directed right from the top but, unfortunately, officers were not concerned to spare life in general. There is shame on all involved. I accept in the moral sense what Senator Norris said about judicial murder. I am afraid to say that included a first cousin of my grandmother, a Captain Mansergh who presided over one of the worst cases, that of Private Downey from Limerick. There is no doubt that there were class factors, national bias and perhaps religious issues. I can only express the deepest regret to his family, including his great nephew, for the little that it is worth.

It is possible for the Government, representing a successor State, to pardon but it would be much better for the British to do so. The repeal of the legislation in 1930 tells its own story. I was in the Irish Embassy in Bonn in 1976 when the Prime Minister of Baden-Württemberg, who was involved in a court-martial in 1944, had to resign for saying that what was just then cannot be unjust now. Of course, that related to a criminal regime and nobody is accusing the British Government in 1916 of having been that.

It is important for reconciliation, however, that this matter should be seen through to a conclusion. I support the proposal for a special memorial at Islandbridge so that, at least, honour would be restored to the 26 people involved.