Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I second Senator Marc MacSharry's amendment.

I wish to raise with the Leader issues that have arisen from some recent documentaries on Irish and English television channels, particularly the atrocities committed where collusion was a very prominent feature.

While the Leader and others, including me, who followed the coverage of Mr. Justice Barron's reports will not be in the least surprised that there were shoot-to-kill gangs from the British army going around killing innocent civilians in the North, it is appalling to hear and see the evidence of those directly involved, just as it was appalling to watch last night the coverage of the atrocities perpetrated by the IRA during the Troubles. Recently I was at the launch of Anne Cadwallader's book on collusion by British forces in Northern Ireland, particularly in the murder triangle of Dungannon, Portadown and south Armagh, about which members of the committee heard over a number of years. We heard from people who had knowledge of the crimes and also from the victims. I would like a debate on these issues because there has been no closure for the families of victims of the atrocities. Families are still crying out for the truth about what happened to their loved ones. Unfortunately, as I believe our report indicated, the State failed them as much as any other authority. One of the great champions of human rights in this House was the President, Mr. Michael D. Higgins. I hope his great commitment will be in evidence during his official visit to Britain. I hope he will champion the need for the British to make available the documentation, evidence and information they have available which, no doubt, will incriminate many within the British establishment. If the truth is out, I hope we can at least progress from there and that the victims will be able to find closure. I would like to believe Senators, as a body in this House, will be supportive of this.