Mark Daly (Fianna Fail)

The principal of Lauragh national school organised a public meeting on rural schools in Kerry last night. I thank the Leader for facilitating several debates on this issue. A positive development in this regard is the GAA's decision to support the issue because it realises its own vested interests are at stake. Rural schools must be maintained if the social and sporting life of communities is to be sustainable. I look forward to further debates in this House on issues relating to rural Ireland. If we do not have viable communities we will not have a rural Ireland in the future.

Today marks the 24th anniversary of the death of Aidan McAnespie at Aughnacloy. He was on his way to a GAA match when he was shot and killed by British soldiers. The former Garda deputy commissioner, Eugene Crowley, was appointed by the Government of the day to produce a report on the matter. I call on the Leader to ask his colleagues in Cabinet to arrange for the publication of that report. The Historical Enquiries Team in the North has stated that the version of events set out by the British army is the least likely to have occurred. The PSNI came to similar conclusions when it stated in a report produced in 2008 that the British army's version of events lacked credibility. Perhaps the Leader can ask his colleagues to publish the Irish Government's version of the events.