Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Christmas is a special time of year, with family and friends coming together to celebrate during the festive period. Sadly, however, it will not be a happy occasion for everyone, with empty seats at the family table, including my own. However, whatever pain I might feel does not compare with the pain and sorrow felt by those who for decades have mourned the loss of family members murdered as a consequence of the Troubles. In some cases, they have never found the bodies of their loved ones. Those families have been denied closure in the context of their pain.

Back in October, this House came together to pass an all-party cross-community motion to protect all victims and survivors of the Troubles from the denial of truth and justice. One Sinn Féin Senator said: “Generally speaking, the British Government defended the actions of its forces at the time of the killings and continues to do so weekly ... blocking relatives who are trying to get truth and justice." That same Senator, on Twitter two days ago, defended Gerry Adams who taunted victims of the IRA in a Christmas video which said: "They haven't not gone away you know".

Last week, Sinn Féin had the opportunity to show decency and compassion to the families of the disappeared. The current Sinn Féin leadership could so easily use the power and influence it has to actively seek out information on the disappeared across every part of its organisation, but it chooses not to do so. Those who defend Gerry Adams's actions this week have no right to lecture anyone about truth and justice or about building a new shared or reconciled Ireland.I will take Senator Ó Donnghaile's quote from eight weeks ago and I will fix it for him now. Generally speaking, Sinn Féin also defended the actions of its forces at the time of the killings and it continues to do so weekly in blocking relatives who are trying to get truth and justice.