Erin McGreehan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for coming into the House this evening. John Finucane is very welcome also. This is a very important week for the Finucane family, Anglo-Irish relations and, in my opinion, for justice. I absolutely support this motion. I think of the Finucane family sitting at their dinner table and such normality of a Sunday evening and then to have their father and husband brutally and viciously murdered, their lives destroyed and their futures changed forever. For 30 years, Geraldine Finucane and her family have campaigned tirelessly, with great dignity and incredible determination.

How many times do citizens of this country and Members of this Oireachtas have to stand up in one of these Houses and ask the UK Government to act with integrity and decency towards Ireland and its citizens? It seems relentless. I am sick of the UK Government not adhering to agreements with Irish Governments. For my entire life I have been acutely aware of the British Government treating Irish citizens with disdain. We are our own people. We have our own sovereignty. Are they not ashamed of themselves at this stage? They purport to uphold the law but when it comes to Ireland we see that time and again they do not consider us as sovereign people and do not believe they should have to uphold basic international agreements. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis, has committed to take a decision on a public inquiry before the end of November. He should not be making that decision. They already agreed to it.

We are coming to a time in our history where we need to start healing. There have been centuries of hurt, betrayal, lies and secrets. Last weekend, we commemorated Bloody Sunday in 1920. Tears rolled down the faces of many people, mine included, looking at the commemoration in Croke Park. My sons were devastated to think that the British Army could do something like that. They were horrified that children were murdered. One of them said, "Mammy, those wee boys did not get to grow up".

Over the past 100 years, many people in this country had to grow up and grow old without their husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, aunts or uncles. There is no hierarchy of pain or heartache. There is no hierarchy of justice or truth. No one person's truth is worth more than another's. There are secrets and hurt around many corners in this country. Violence has caused hurt. The secrets behind that violence cause endless hurt, bitterness and an inability to move or even grieve properly. The families need the truth. They deserve the truth and that truth needs to come from every side.

Being from Cooley, in north Louth, I am constantly reminded of Jean McConville. I played on the beach on which she was buried. Did I play on top of her unmarked grave? Did I play and build sand castles on top of the hopes, dreams and futures of her children from whom she was so viciously stolen? Somebody somewhere can give answers to the McConville family and yet they do not. Somebody somewhere can give answers to the Oliver family on the murder of Tom Oliver and yet they do not. Somebody somewhere can give the answers to the families of all the Disappeared and yet they do not. Somebody somewhere can give answers to the family of murdered Paul Quinn and yet they do not. The list goes on.

The British Government can provide truth and give answers and yet it keeps refusing to do so. We need the truth from everyone. We need the truth about the victims of violence on every side. We will never heal on this island with the gaping wounds of betrayal, distrust and heartache if these secrets are left open