Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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131. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will ensure that adequate resources are provided to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains in view of the very important and necessary work that is undertaken by this commission; if she will provide an assurance to the families of the six persons whose remains have not yet been located that this work will retain the highest priority in view of the murder of innocent persons and the grief and suffering inflicted on so many families; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48707/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR) was established by the Irish and British Governments in 1999 to facilitate the location of the remains of a number of people who were killed and buried secretly by paramilitary organisations during the troubles. They have become known as the disappeared.

The ICLVR was among the actions taken in the context of the Peace Process to acknowledge and address the suffering of the victims of violence as a necessary element of reconciliation. The families of the Disappeared have had to bear a very particular cruelty in not only having to face the loss of a loved one, but having been denied for so long information regarding the burial places of their loved ones.

The ICLVR, with the support of the two Governments, has worked tirelessly over the years in pursuit of its task and it continues to so do. Its sole aim is to locate the victims’ remains in order that they may be returned to their families to receive a decent burial and that the families will then have a grave at which to grieve and to remember. While the remains of a number of the disappeared have been recovered, there are still six victims whose remains have yet to be located. The ICLVR is continuing its inquiries in relation to these cases and I can assure the families of my and the Government's full support for this ongoing humanitarian work.

I know the Deputy will join with me in encouraging anyone with information that could help to locate those still missing to give that information to the ICLVR without delay – contact details are on the ICLVR’s website www.iclvr.ie. I would emphasise that all information provided to the ICLVR is treated as strictly confidential and, by law, can only be used to locate and identify the remains of victims. The Government remains strongly committed to the aim of locating these victims and returning their remains to their families. I call on all others to help to bring it about.