Cecilia Keaveney (Fianna Fail)

Following from the Minister of State's comments that the details we need are currently under lock and key in the UK Ministry of Defence, will he take back the message to the Department that the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism would talk to his counterpart in the UK — perhaps the Secretary of State, Mr. Shaun Woodward — to encourage the UK to release those archives to us in order that we can display them?

While I accept the budgetary parameters are tight, this project is different given it has a tripartite dimension between the North, the South and Wales. There used to be a soldiers and sailors fund relating to peace and reconciliation in the International Fund for Ireland. With the Ministry of Defence moving out of the North, a fitting tribute would be for it to make some contribution to developing a commemoration.

As far I am concerned, this is the start of the road, not the end. I would like to think the Minister of State will take our suggestions back to the Department. As the report states, much of this is not financially driven. First, it involves a recognition by the Departments of the need to release the information. Second, it does not need to be a massive project because a small commemorative location would bear tribute, as Senator Hannigan said, to those who served many cold, quiet, weary months and dismal days, with very little food.

There are some very interesting pieces of information. I would like to think the Minister of State can reflect what we are saying to the Department on those two points, first, the release of information from the UK to us and, second, that the Department would not take this project on itself as its own individual event but that it would work in collaboration with the many other funding agencies to put in place a commemorative tribute to those who were there, and as a remembrance for those who might have missed out to date on this episode of Irish history.