Joe O'Reilly (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will speak on a similar theme to that raised by my neighbour and friend, Senator Martin. Today marks the 49th anniversary of that terrible day when three bombs exploded in Dublin city centre and a fourth in Monaghan town. Of course, the Belturbet bombing is a different matter also, but it was a day of huge violence. It was the greatest loss of life in this part of the island and an awful, terrible day. Twenty-five years on from the Good Friday Agreement, and as part of that agreement, we should be acknowledging these cases and getting information on them. We need to know what happened and get the facts. We need to know about collusion and whatever else was involved. I ask the Leader to mark the anniversary of this tragedy by pursuing the matter again.

Through the good offices of my colleague, Senator Currie, I met the families of the disappeared last week. It behoves all of us, of all parties, in this House to come together in a non-dramatic and low-key fashion to work to resolve this matter in order that the relatives of the last remaining people among the disappeared find them, have the opportunity to bury them, know where they are and have family plots to visit, etc. This is important in Irish culture and indeed every culture.

We need to get the truth behind the events in Monaghan and Dublin on that day. We need to pursue that. I would like the Leader’s response. I will not be in person to hear it but I will read it in the blacks. I would also like her to respond on what we, as a collective of all parties and none, can do. That should be done in a low-key manner.It is not about grandstanding or about public pronouncements; it is about families and that we get something done there on the disappeared.