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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 5 Oct 2000

Vol. 523 No. 3

Written Answers. - Victims Commission Report.

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

14 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made in the implementation of the report of the Victims Commission. [19976/00]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

140 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the progress made in the implementation of the report of the Victims Commission; and the role of his Department in that implementation. [19972/00]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 140 together.

In May 1998 I appointed, with Government approval, the former Tánaiste, Mr. John Wilson, to conduct a review of services and arrangements in place in this jurisdiction to meet the needs of those who had suffered as a result of violent action associated with the conflict in Northern Ireland over the past 30 years. In his report A Place and a Name, Mr. Wilson made wide-ranging recommendations on measures to be taken to acknowledge and address the suffering of those in question.

My Department has been involved in detailed discussions with other relevant Departments and agencies on the implementation of the recommendations. In some areas work has already commenced on implementation. For example, as the House will be aware, former Chief Justice Liam Hamilton was appointed to conduct inquiries into the Dublin-Monaghan bombings of 1974 and the Dundalk bombing of 1975. As the House will also be aware, the Taoiseach announced yesterday that Mr. Justice Barron has agreed to take over from Mr. Hamilton, who was obliged to retire from the inquiries for health reasons. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Mr. Hamilton for his work on the inquiries.

As regards the balance of Mr. Wilson's recommendations, I am now finalising a detailed implementation plan, based on the consultations which have taken place, and I intend to submit this to Government very shortly for approval.

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