Northern Ireland

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2015

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Questions (498)

Niall Collins

Question:

498. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the discussions he has had with his British and Northern counterparts on the issue of collusion between British State authorities and terrorists in Northern Ireland; if he has sought an inquiry into these matters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24870/15]

Written answers

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

That collusion occurred during the Troubles between British State forces and paramilitaries is a matter of public record. Successive Irish Governments have raised the issue of collusion with the British Government, as I outlined during a Dáil topical debate on this matter on 17 June. We continue to do so, including in relation to a number of individual cases of long-standing concern such as the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings and the case of the late Pat Finucane, both of which the Taoiseach raised at his meeting with Prime Minister Cameron on 18 June. Such cases must be adequately addressed if we are to achieve a genuinely reconciled and shared society. More than 3,500 people died during the Troubles. The suffering of their relatives and friends endures to this day. There is no hierarchy of loss or of grief for all these families. Accordingly, we continue to work on the development of a comprehensive framework for dealing with the legacy of the past as envisaged in the Stormont House Agreement. The full implementation of the provisions of the Agreement in relation to the establishment of the institutions on the past remains a priority of the Government. These institutions will include a Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) to take forward investigations into Troubles-related deaths, as well as an Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR) to enable victims and survivors seek and privately receive information about Troubles-related deaths. Good progress is being made on the establishment of these institutions which I believe will assist all victims, including the victims of collusion, in their quest for justice and the truth.