Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus roimh na teaghlaigh atá linn sa Gallery anocht. I welcome the Minister for this debate, and I welcome the families and guests who are in the Gallery. Indeed, I welcome the opportunity to speak on behalf of Sinn Féin on the Fianna Fáil motion and commend its proposers, Senators Blaney and McGreehan.

I want to take this opportunity to extend my sympathy, and that of Sinn Féin, to the families of those killed in the conflict and who are collectively known as "the disappeared". Republicans accept, and I accept, that what the IRA did was an injustice that needed to be rectified. This has been said by Sinn Féin many times over the years and I say it again here on behalf of Sinn Féin.

I welcome that 14 of the 19 affected families have had their loved ones returned to them. This has arisen from the crucial work carried out by the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains. I commend the commission, and those who have helped it in its all-important work. We have heard from the commission on a number of occasions at the Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and that has been a deeply harrowing experience. I urge the commission to continue its work. I appeal to anyone who has any information about those who are still missing to contact the commission and to assist it in any way they possibly can.

I agree entirely with the sentiment of the Fianna Fáil motion with respect to the impact on the families of those who were murdered and disappeared. The motion correctly says "their families have struggled with the pain and trauma of bereavement in addition to the agony of not knowing where their loved ones are buried". I acknowledge that even something like this debate re-traumatises the families. I know that like the many cases we have talked about in these Houses, families would much rather not have to do this. So I acknowledge that even having to attend a debate like this is harrowing for the families themselves.

Sinn Féin supports the motion. I think that it is in keeping with the Fianna Fáil motion that we acknowledge the grief of all relatives who have lost loved ones in the conflict. I suggest that not in any way to take away from the import and gravity of this motion but to allow this Chamber the opportunity to express our continued sympathy to all relatives, with whom the WAVE Trauma Centre works and supports each and every day, and I acknowledge that Ms Peake, its CEO, is in the Gallery.

Again, I call on anyone with any information, no matter how small, to bring it forward and support these families in their quest to recover the bodies of their loved ones. I support truth and justice, and I want to see truth and justice prevail for all. Again, I welcome the opportunity to speak on the motion and thank Fianna Fáil colleagues for tabling the motion. Above all else, I hope that the sentiments expressed in this motion can be seen through and that ultimately we can achieve the recovery of those who remain disappeared, and ensure that they are buried properly and appropriately, and brought home to their families.