Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 28 September 2023
64. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if, in light of yet more new evidence emerging regarding the 1973 killing of a person (details supplied), he will make the family's desire for a public inquiry clear to the British government; to outline the steps that the Irish Government is taking to aid the family in their quest for justice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39081/23]
View answerI have raised the case of the person in question and the family's desire for answers on a number of occasions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Officials in my Department met with the family in November 2021. On 24 February 2023, I met with the family, who were accompanied by Councillor Michael Naughton. Officials from my Department were in direct contact with the family again in June 2023.
Following my meeting with the family, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Chris Heaton-Harris on 16 March, bringing the case to his attention. I made clear my view that the UK Government's legacy legislation would deny this family answers and the opportunity to clear their loved one's name. I met with the Secretary of State in Dublin on 16 May to discuss legacy matters in more detail. At that meeting I highlighted to the Secretary of State and his delegation that the following day was the 50th anniversary of the death of the person in question as well as being and the 49th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and that all of these families were still seeking truth and justice.
The Secretary of State spoke of the future work of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Retrieval (ICRIR) which will be established under the UK Legacy Act. It is his view that the ICRIR is the most affective route for families to obtain answer. However, this is not a view shared by the Government.
The Government is keenly aware that all those affected by the Troubles are gravely concerned by the Legacy Act. We have made clear to the UK Government our concerns throughout the legislative process. We believe all those who lost loves ones deserve access to mechanisms that respect their rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
