Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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316. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will support the Miami showband massacre survivors in their efforts for justice and truth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2577/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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At the outset I express my deepest sympathy to the survivors and the families of the victims of the attack on the Miami Showband. The attack in July 1975 not far from Newry took the lives of three of the members of the band, Fran O'Toole, Brian McCoy and Tony Geraghty, and wounded Stephen Travers and Des McAlea. The brutal attack on the Miami Showband is one of the violent incidents which sticks in the memory as among the most bloody episodes in the history of the troubles. Indeed, two of the gang that carried out the attack were killed when the bomb they were planting exploded prematurely.

The attack was claimed at the time by the Ulster Volunteer Force. It is very clear, however, from the various investigations that have been carried out down the years that members of the Ulster Defence Regiment were deeply involved in it. Indeed, three former members of the UDR were prosecuted in Northern Ireland and convicted of murder for their part in the Miami Showband attack. The report of the PSNI's Historical Inquiries Team in 2011 concluded that the murders raised troubling questions about collusion between security forces in Northern Ireland and loyalist paramilitaries. I understand also that a civil action for damages is being pursued currently in Northern Ireland against the police and the UK Ministry of Defence.

It is impossible to forget the many horrific acts of troubles-related violence that were carried out or, indeed, the pain that is still being felt as a result. The impact of this and many other atrocities continues to be felt to this day and our thoughts are with the survivors and the relatives of those events. As the Deputy is aware, the late Judge Henry Barron carried out detailed and painstaking inquiries into many of these awful events in which so many innocent people lost their lives. The Garda authorities co-operated fully with the Barron inquiries.

In 2007 a monument dedicated to the memory of the three band members who lost their lives in this brutal attack was erected in Dublin. The memorial is situated at the site of the old National Ballroom at Parnell Square where the band had played regularly and it is, I think, a very fitting tribute to those talented young men.

On the general question of dealing with the past, the Deputy will be aware that the Stormont House Agreement contains a series of valuable measures in this regard.