Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 26 November 2020
42. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the status of the ongoing outstanding requests with the UK Government regarding inquiries into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37693/20]
View answerThis year marked the 46th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974 in which thirty-three were killed and hundreds seriously injured, attacks which saw the largest loss of life on a single day in the Troubles.
The All-Party motion on the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan bombings that was adopted by Dáil Éireann on 25 May 2016, like those adopted in 2008 and 2011, calls on the British Government to allow access by an independent, international judicial figure to all original documents relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.
The Government is committed to actively pursuing the implementation of these All-Party Dáil motions, as highlighted in the Programme for Government, and has consistently raised the issue with the British Government, including at the British-Irish Inter-Governmental Conference.
We have made clear to our counterparts that the absence of a response from the British Government is of deep concern to the Government, and that there remains an urgent need for a response.
The Government will continue to engage with the British Government on this request, at political and official level, to pursue all possible avenues to achieve progress on this issue until a resolution is found. I raised this issue most recently in my meeting with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 8 October last in Hillsborough
The Government has also welcomed the announcement by the PSNI on 30 November 2019 that former Chief Constable Jon Boutcher will head an Independent Police Team to conduct an analytical report on collusion in what has become known as the Glenanne Gang series of cases. This is very relevant to a number of cases including the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. The Government will be supportive of facilitating this investigation, subject to the requirements of the law, as we have other investigative processes in Northern Ireland.
