Paul Bradford (Fine Gael)

There was disappointment yesterday when it was announced that the British Government did not appear to be allowing a full and substantive inquiry into the murder of the solicitor Pat Finucane. I recall meeting some of his family members in Leinster House some years ago, and they wanted truth and justice for their late father, as we all should. I hope that matter will be revisited and that the Government will be able to put whatever pressure is possible on the British Government to bring the case to a full conclusion.

Having checked the records, I note that I first asked the House back in February 2004 to consider the possibility of establishing a truth and reconciliation commission. I ask the Leader to liaise with the appropriate Government officials to inquire about having such a debate in this House. There are too many unanswered questions, hidden bodies, other victims that are unaccounted for and crimes across this island for us to remain silent. Part of the healing process, North and South, should include a truth and reconciliation commission where all the questions, no matter how difficult, can be raised and all the answers given. It appeared at the weekend that we have new converts to the cause of truth and reconciliation. We should attempt to put in place such a mechanism as we know it worked very well in South Africa. We have a different problem and different requirements, but too many bodies remain unaccounted for and too many families cannot mourn their loved ones because they cannot find the bodies to bury. While these questions remain unanswered, there is a duty on us to try to bring some degree of closure. I am not saying a truth and reconciliation would solve all the problems, but it would be a step in the right direction. We should consider all these issues in a balanced fashion. On the day I ask the Government to pressurise the British Government to act more openly on the Pat Finucane case, equally I want us to contemplate a truth and reconciliation commission to ask the hard questions which remain to be posed.