Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State to discuss this very important issue. Death is an unwelcome and uninvited guest that calls to all homes from time to time, bringing with it a sense of loss and heartache. When that death comes in a sudden manner it adds a different layer to the grief. When that death comes violently it adds another layer on top of that again for the families concerned. Then when that violent death results in a family not having somewhere to pray and speak to their loved ones, that is an entirely different situation.

This evening, along with a number of my colleagues, I had the pleasure of listening to the families who are here behind me. We meet many delegations, as does the Minister of State, as part of our everyday role but this one had a profound impact on me, as it did on many of my colleagues. What these people have been through and the journey they have undertaken and are still on, is really heartbreaking. They come to us today with a renewed cry for help. They have asked us to do all we can to create more awareness of the situation they find themselves in. For the McVeigh family the journey dates back to 1975 and Oliver is with us today. The word "time" has been mentioned often today. Time is running out for the families. They have come here today to ask all political parties and none to do all they can to highlight their plight.

I am delighted that the Minister for Justice, Deputy Harris, has committed to meet the families. I understand that the Tánaiste, Deputy Micheál Martin, has done likewise. I also understand that an invitation has gone out to other parties, including Sinn Fein, and I ask that that request be facilitated also. This evening is not a witch hunt or about pointing fingers at anybody. It is about trying to bring an end to the journey that these people have been on for almost 50 years, in some cases. That is too long. It is a heartache and a life sentence that these people have been asked to carry. It has gone on long enough.

I appeal to anyone who has any information whatsoever to come forward and share that information with the authorities. People can do so in the knowledge that the information is not going anywhere else and is purely to assist in finding the bodies of those who have been so cruelly buried. Some people might think that they might have a snippet of information that is probably no good. Some of the delegation today described this as a piece of a jigsaw. It is about putting all these small pieces together to try to get a full picture. No matter how small a piece of information might be, it could be very useful to the commission in its efforts to try to find those who remain yet to be found. The heartache of the McVeigh family continues and in a number of weeks a search will resume in County Monaghan at Bragan Bog for the body of young Columba. I issue a heartfelt plea to anyone who has any information whatsoever, no matter how small or insignificant they think it might be, to please come forward and share that information with the commission.These families have been on the road for much too long and all they want is as much closure as they can possibly get. I appeal to anybody with information to come forward and give it. Regarding the McVeigh family, hopefully this is the last year we are in this Chamber making this request. I ask anybody in any form of leadership or any form of the community to come forward and give the information they have to assist people to bring an end to this living nightmare they have endured for almost half a century.