Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 October 2014
165. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he discussed with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the need to establish an independent review of the murder of 11 people in Ballymurphy in August 1971; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37535/14]
View answerThe Government has consistently raised the issue of the need to establish an independent review into the Ballymurphy cases, both at the level of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade. The Government issued statements expressing disappointment at the decision of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 29 April 2014 not to appoint a Hillsborough-style panel to review the Ballymurphy cases. The Government is committed to playing an active and constructive role in dealing with the past, including through raising relevant matters with counterparts in the British Government.
There is an urgent need to establish a fair, balanced and comprehensive framework for dealing with the past and the Government believes that legacy issues should be addressed in the upcoming all-Party talks.
