Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate my call of yesterday, a call also made by my Fianna Fáil colleague, Senator Robbie Gallagher, for the publication of the Crowley report on the murder of Aidan McAnespie. Yesterday marked the 30th anniversary when a number of vigils were held across various towns in County Tyrone. I acknowledge the response of the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Charles Flanagan, that he will meet Aidan's family, but it is regrettable that he has stated the Government will not publish the Crowley report on his murder. The call to publish the report has come from parties in both Houses and the GAA family in Ireland and globally which has a deep affinity with and grá for Aidan, with a number of clubs all around the world named in his memory. As this is too important an issue to be turned into a digging match here, I will not do so. The McAnespie family would not want or expect me to do so. I spent the past two days in Belfast with Senators Frank Feighan and Frances Black and others as part of a delegation from the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. We met victims and legacy groups. There is massive complexity in the issues of truth, legacy and justice, but the common thread is acknowledgement of the truth and recognition of the loss of a loved one. I do not understand why the Government could appoint Deputy Garda Commissioner Crowley to investigate Aidan's murder and then not publish the report, despite calls from the family and the GAA fraternity to do so. It seems to be a prolonged exercise in cruelty. The report is available and the Government has it. I suggest, too, that, on behalf of the Government, the Taoiseach meet the McAnespie family. The issue will not go away because they will not allow us to forget it. I ask the Government to reflect on this. At its core is a murder victim, someone who was murdered by a British soldier as he was on his way to watch his local GAA team play a football match. It is not about party politics.