I express the Taoiseach's regret that he is not able to be present in the House today for these statements. He initiated this process following a meeting with the Justice for the Forgotten group on 22 April 1999 and he remains deeply committed to the victims and their families and the search for the truth surrounding these terrible atrocities. As Attorney General at the time, I was centrally involved in these developments and can testify to the commitment of the Taoiseach to getting to the truth of that series of terrible events. When I was on the Opposition benches, I was aware of the Justice for the Forgotten group and assisted on an all-party basis with a group of Deputies from all sides of the House in an effort to promote the group's cause at a time when it did not have that many friends.
The Dublin and Monaghan bombings left an indelible mark on the people of Ireland. They did not simply affect Dublin and Monaghan. Those who were so cruelly blown away on that day and many of those who suffered such terrible injuries, came from all walks of life and from all over the country.
The Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings, whose sole member was at first, the former Chief Justice, the late Liam Hamilton and later Judge Henry Barron, began its work in early 2000. It was asked to undertake a thorough examination involving fact-finding and assessment of all aspects of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and their sequel, including the facts, circumstances, causes and perpetrators of the bombings; the nature, extent and adequacy of the Garda investigation, including the co-operation with and from the relevant parties in Northern Ireland and the handling of evidence, including the specific analysis of forensic evidence; the reasons no prosecutions took place, including whether and if so, by whom and to what extent the investigations were impeded; and the issues raised by the "Hidden Hand" television documentary broadcast in 1993.
This was to prove a difficult and time-consuming task. The events being examined took place 30 years ago and many of those who were centrally involved at that time are since deceased. Accessing records both inside and outside the jurisdiction proved difficult and, in some cases, was simply not possible. In particular, arising from the non-availability of records in Northern Ireland, the scope of Mr. Justice Barron's report was, as he described it, limited as a result.
Mr. Justice Barron drew conclusions relating to the terms of reference given to the commission. I do not propose to go into all the conclusions in his report in detail, save to say that the report sheds a great deal of light on what happened on that day, why it happened, who was responsible and the actions that ensued.
Key among Mr. Justice Barron's conclusions was that the Dublin and Monaghan bombings were carried out by loyalist paramilitaries, most of whom were members of the UVF, primarily as a reaction to the prospect of a greater role for the Irish Government in the administration of Northern Ireland arising from the Sunningdale agreement. It was also concluded that these loyalist groups were capable of carrying out the bombings without help from any section of the security forces in Northern Ireland, although it is likely that individual members of the UDR and RUC either participated in or were aware of the preparations for the attacks. Mr. Justice Barron further concluded that the Garda investigation failed to make use of the information it obtained and that the State was not equipped to conduct an adequate forensic analysis of the explosions, one consequence of which was that potentially vital clues were lost.
As I stated at the time of publication of the Barron report, it would not be possible for me to account for the course of a Garda investigation some decades ago but it is a matter of considerable regret that the report found inadequacies with the Garda investigation.
Since that time, there have been profound changes in Garda structures, criminal justice legislation, available technology and the level of co-operation between police services. Although there is obviously concern and disappointment about what the Barron report says about the Garda investigation, we should not lose sight of the fact that in the course of the past 30 years the Garda has proved vital in preserving the security of the State and some of its members have been called on to pay the ultimate sacrifice in that regard.
Mr. Justice Barron found no evidence that any branch of the security forces in Northern Ireland knew in advance that the bombings were about to take place. I place on record my appreciation and that of the Government for the work carried out by the late Mr. Justice Liam Hamilton, Mr. Justice Barron and their team. I also thank Mr. Justice Barron for the assistance he gave the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights, which greatly appreciated his help.
On 10 December last, Mr. Justice Barron's report into the bombings was referred to the Oireachtas and both Houses asked the Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights to consider whether the report addressed all the issues covered in its terms of reference, the lessons to be drawn and any actions to be taken in light of the report, its findings and conclusions and whether, having regard to the report's findings and following consultations with the inquiry, a further public inquiry into any aspect of the report would be required or fruitful.
The referral of Mr. Justice Barron's report to the joint committee provided a very useful context for detailed consideration of his report and for further submissions by those who contributed to the work of the commission or were the subject of comment in the report. I am glad so many submissions were received and many of those who were the subject of the conclusions in the report availed of the opportunity to meet the joint committee and put their points of view. The Taoiseach appeared before the joint committee on 25 February last and I appeared before it on 10 February to respond to questions on points of interest.