Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In regard to the banking inquiry, I welcome the report of the Committee of Selection and look forward to the Government's response. This is a test of the promise to have open and transparent government, a new beginning and a democratic revolution. I hope the Government will see fit to make sure it does not descend into a show trial. A test of that commitment will be whether it seeks to change the decision of the Committee of Selection of the Seanad on the make-up of the Members selected.

I welcome the news on the impending appointment of the US ambassador to Ireland. As of last Monday, there were only 14 countries that did not have an ambassador appointed by the United States. At least, we will have a new ambassador from St. Louis. We look forward to his contribution in Ireland, including to the peace process, given the current position in dealing with the issues of parades and the past.

While talking about the past, the makers of last night's "Prime Time" programme on RTE should be complimented on their work in highlighting the torture that had taken place in the North of Ireland. The decisions were taken at a high level in the British Government; Prime Ministers and Ministers and were aware that the torture of Irish citizens was taking place in the North of Ireland. The matter was raised in the European Union by Jack Lynch. The European Court found that the British had not tortured these citizens, but, of course, this was because information had been withheld from the judges. Therefore, it is open to the Government to have the case reviewed. In regard to the Ballymurphy massacre 40 years ago, when 11 people were killed by British soldiers in west Belfast in a matter of days, the British refuse to conduct any investigation. Because of the work of RTE and the Pat Finucane Centre we are aware that British politicians took decisions to torture Irish citizens. Why has the Government not asked the British ambassador to make available to it files on the bombings in Dublin and Monaghan, the killings in Ballymurphy, the torture of Irish citizens and the ruling of the European Court which were used by the US Government to justify the torture of Iraqi citizens. The stress positions and five techniques used in Derry and Belfast sanctioned by the British Government were used on Iraqi citizens, most recently during the invasion of Iraq.