Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Shane O'Farrell should not be dead. We are here not because he tragically died, because the sad reality is that people die and lose their lives every day. We are here because of the systematic failures that did not necessarily lead to Shane's death but certainly it could have been prevented had the failures not existed.

I am very conscious of all of the legal language that has been used here today. It is important that those views are articulated and those arguments are made in this institution. The last time we spoke about this matter the House agreed that there should be a public inquiry. It is incumbent upon us to refocus our minds on the fact that there is a family grieving the loss of a loving son and brother. I have had the unfortunate honour and privilege of knowing many campaigning families and individuals who have had to fight to access truth and justice, and some of them had to fight for 50 years. Sadly, some of these people are still fighting to access truth and justice. It is a great travesty and injustice that we would further heap trauma on already suffering and hurting families.

The Minister is meant to take his mandate and direction from the will of these Houses and, indeed, use his own counsel. I do not doubt for one second, as Senator Boyhan said, that there is no-one in this House who does not want to get to the truth but I wonder about the people outside this House because of the following simple reality. If all of the evidence and rationale points to systematic failures from top to bottom, across the Border, back and forward, and between policing institutions and criminal justice institutions, then what is the rationale for not giving a family who have diligently campaigned and suffered so much what I think is a very modest thing in the context of a public inquiry? The establishment of an inquiry is the will of both of these Houses. The family desire an inquiry and I believe that it is also the desire of the vast bulk of people within Irish life. I think there is a clear rationale for an inquiry. There is a political and legal impetus on us to do it because of the clear and obvious failures. The curtain should not come done on this matter and the faceless bureaucrats in the Departments should not revert to their old traditional ways. We should focus our minds on shining a light on and rectifying what was a clear problem and clear failings that led to the life of a young brilliant man with so much potential being tragically and needlessly cut short.

I reiterate the call for a public inquiry because it is a great shame that we are forcing a family into a situation where they have to accept and concede to something less. Today, I speak with great disappointment but great feeling and solidarity with the O'Farrell family. I do not want to end my contribution on a negative note but I must end it on an unfortunate note. I have had the privilege of getting to know many campaigning families so I recognise a slow waltz when I see one and I sense that this is a slow waltz. I am equally encouraged by the campaigning families and, indeed, by the O'Farrell family and not least by Lucia. They are not going anywhere and should this take 50 years or more they will continue campaigning. We could ease or lift their burden of further stress and avoid re-traumatising them if we acceded to their request, and the will of these Houses, and gave them the public inquiry that they deserve and one we are compelled to deliver.