Labhrás Ó Murchú (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

During the campaign leading up to the referendum on the abolition of the Seanad, there was an opportunity to examine the work done by this House and its potential into the future. During a previous debate I expressed my disappointment that a truth and justice commission had not been established to deal with events during the course of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It was interesting last night to hear Gregory Campbell saying something similar. Many people would like to see such a forum established, but it does not seem likely to happen in the near future. In the meantime, will the Leader consider setting aside not just a portion of a day but time over a number of weeks to allow us to discuss, in a focused manner, the many issues arising out of the conflict on this island?

I am glad some closure has been brought to bear for the families of the two police officers in question. We should always remember the human side of conflict and the suffering that goes with it. The family of Pat Finucane have suffered in a similar way, as have the family of Rosemary Nelson. Those of us who watched the recent "Panorama" programme saw that a group of people working in an official capacity were allowed to target and kill civilians at will. We saw that collusion in the case of Bloody Sunday, for example. It is wrong to claim that in raising issues such as those highlighted today in the Smithwick report, we are somehow minimising the suffering of somebody else or justifying some other act. These types of revelations will continue to emerge into the future, probably for decades, with one particular incident being examined and other people asking why their case was not considered. The only way I can see of dealing with all that is if we seek to encapsulate the whole story by giving everybody an opportunity to place on record, in a methodical and analytical fashion, their account of events. We will never be able to eliminate the suffering of the bereaved, who will continue to suffer for the rest of their lives, but we can, by way of an open and inclusive process of examination, seek to achieve stability on this island and understanding among former adversaries.

I ask the Leader and the Committee on Procedure and Privileges to consider taking my proposal on board. The case of Dónal de Róiste has been rightly brought forward by colleagues. I am sure he and his family would like that case to be examined. It is one of many issues to be debated. If the Smithwick report were to act as a catalyst to bring that type of process about and if Seanad Éireann were the vehicle for its implementation, we would be doing justice to the memory of all those killed in the conflict. Above all else, we would also be providing some type of foundation for full and proper development, co-operation and reconciliation into the future.