Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

The House owes a debt of gratitude to the work of Mr. Paddy MacEntee, SC, on the publication of his commission of investigation report into the 1974 atrocities in Dublin and Monaghan. The conclusions reached by Mr. MacEntee that there was no evidence of collusion and the Garda deliberately wound down the investigation are important. People who were in the Garda and the then Government are still alive and have to deal with allegations touted against them.

At another level, it is difficult for the families of the victims. They must still live with the memory of the events and do not have closure. A system to help these families and those affected by the Troubles must be established. I ask the Government to work with the Opposition and the new Northern Ireland Executive in developing an initiative which recognises the real and lasting pain and sorrow of the victims' families. If there is one lesson to be learned from this process of investigation, it is the need to support those victims, particularly the families of the Dublin-Monaghan victims who have had to deal with difficult times since 1974.