Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join the Leader and previous speakers in expressing sympathy to the families of the five young students aged between 20 and 22 years who were killed and the eight students who were injured, some critically, in Berkeley, California. This tragedy has occurred in a country that has very good building standards and the students will have felt safe and secure in the building in question. We all share the sadness of the families of those involved in this terrible tragedy.

I join Senator Ó Murchú in complimenting RTE on its excellent documentary, "Collusion", which was broadcast last night. The programme confirmed the collusion that took place between British Government forces and loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. Britain should hold a full public inquiry into the matter. The documentary highlighted many atrocities, including the assassination of Patrick Finucane in front of his wife and children and the bombings of Dublin and Monaghan on 17 May 1974, which resulted in the murder of 33 people and one full-term unborn child and injured 300 others. The Dublin and Monaghan bombings were the deadliest single attack carried out during the Troubles. The British Government owes it to the Irish people to carry out an inquiry into this matter and make all relevant documentation accessible to the Department of Justice and Equality in order that the issue can be fully examined.

The bombings are a cloud that hangs over the relationship between Britain and Ireland. The Ulster Volunteer Force claimed responsibility for the atrocity in 1993. It is now understood, as I have stated in meetings of the Council of Europe, that while Britain stands up against atrocities in other parts of the world, it colluded with forces in Northern Ireland against this Republic and its standing has been damaged by its lack of accountability on this matter. We all owe a debt of gratitude to RTE because it has highlighted the situation in a balanced way. I was appalled by the attitude of former MP Ken Maginnis regarding the fact that there was an apology to the Finucane family, not a public inquiry.