Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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79. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will consider the full release of all relevant documentation and files held by her Department and An Garda Síochána with regard to an incident (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19062/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The impact of the murders to which the Deputy refers and, indeed, the many other atrocities perpetrated during the troubles on this island, continues to be felt to this very day. Our thoughts are always first and foremost with the survivors and the relatives of the victims of those events.

As the Deputy is aware, the late Mr. Justice Henry Barron carried out detailed inquiries into many of these awful incidents in which so many innocent people lost their lives, including the incident which the Deputy raises. My Department and the Garda Authorities co-operated fully with the Barron inquiries, including in respect of providing the relevant documentation in their possession to Judge Barron. Any documents held by my Department in respect of incidents such as these are reviewed on a regular basis with a view to release in accordance with requirements of the National Archives Act 1986, with particular regard to the requirements of section 8 of that Act in respect of the transfer of records to the National Archives.

The attack was claimed at the time by the Ulster Volunteer Force. It is very clear, however, from various investigations 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 this incident. The 2011 report of the PSNI's Historical Enquiries Team 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 in respect of this incident.

As the Deputy will also be aware, acknowledging and addressing the needs of the victims of violence has been an essential element of building peace and reconciliation in the context of the Northern Ireland peace process. The Stormont House Agreement, established between the Irish and British Governments and the parties in Northern Ireland contains a series of valuable measures that aim to put in place a new framework to deal with the legacy of the troubles, including a mechanism to make available, if possible, more information about troubles-related killings to victims and their families from official and other sources. The Government is fully committed to supporting those arrangements once agreement can be finalised in respect of them between all parties involved and detailed work is ongoing in this regard.