Mark Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I join the Cathaoirleach in offering our congratulations to Congressman Tim Kennedy, who is replacing Congressman Higgins, so one Irish-American is replacing another. Congressman Kennedy is from Buffalo in upstate New York, and is a great Joycean scholar, as well as a great supporter of the University at Buffalo. I know he will be engaged in all things Irish because he was very much involved in the New York American-Irish Legislators Society, which has been there for many years.

Today is May Day and today the Legacy Act takes full effect, which means many of the families will no longer get justice in regard to the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Legacy Bill led to an extraordinary event in August 2021 where, for the first time ever, all the major political parties on the island of Ireland signed one document. That event was organised in Belfast City Hall by Raymond McCord, whose son was murdered by UVF paramilitaries. Those who were involved in the killing and the organising of the killing were paid informers of the British security forces. In fact, Raymond McCord was the first person ever to manage to get the police ombudswoman to prove collusion in the case of the security forces, yet there has been no justice. Nobody has been held accountable, nobody has been convicted and those who supported it, and who allowed that murder to happen on the British security forces side, are still walking free. The report done recently by the British Government on Operation Kenova outlined the fact that the security forces had infiltrated the IRA and were well aware of operations that either were about to happen or had happened. They knew who was involved in the killings. They allowed citizens in Northern Ireland to be killed. Yet, these were supposed to be the agents of the state acting to protect them. The document that was signed addressed the British Government proposals for dealing with the past, including amnesty for those who committed murders. It stated the no individual group, organisation or state forces agents can be immune from prosecution and that investigations, prosecutions and inquests should not be stopped. The document was signed by every political party - Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the SDLP, the DUP, the UUP, the Alliance Party and Sinn Féin. Senator Boyhan, who is an Independent, was also there on that occasion. On this day of disgrace for the British Government when it is now denying justice to so many in its own state, we will of course support the Government's proposal to prevent that legislation through the European courts.