17 Jan 2014, 17:34
The Joint Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement agreed to press the Irish Government to ensure funding can be secured for Justice for the Forgotten, in order to allow them continue their work in delivering services that are supportive and sensitive to the needs of victims.
17 January 2014
Margaret Urwin of the Justice for the Forgotten Group outlined their work in representing and supporting the bereaved families of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, other bombings in Dublin in 1972 and 1973 and in Belturbet, Dundalk and Castleblaney, as well as the families of the Miami Showband killings.
Anne Cadwallader of the Pat Finucane Centre also addressed the Committee and outlined her investigative work on security force collusion in the killings of over 120 people, the vast majority non-combatants.
Committee Chairman Joe McHugh TD says: “The meeting with Margaret Urwin and Anne Cadwallader shone a light on the disturbing levels of collusion, while bereaved families endure a painful search for the truth on both sides of the border. The Committee complimented Margaret Urwin on her unerring commitment to keeping the quest for truth in the public limelight. The Justice for the Forgotten Group have also been centrally involved with procuring permanent memorials at the bombing sites. The Committee was told that their limited funding, under the PEACE III programme, will come to an end this June.
“The Committee was unanimous in praising Anne Cadwallader for her painstaking work in uncovering the truth in her book Lethal Allies. Her vigorous research, based on tireless academic investigation and eyewitness accounts into collusion, has shone a light into a dark past, which contains many lessons for the present day conflicts around the world. The Committee strongly agreed with her on the imperative for uncovering the truth around state collusion for wider British and Irish society, as well as for the bereaved families.
“The meeting yesterday was particularly timely in light of the public dialogue that now exists on dealing with the past, and the Committee hopes that the proposals that have emerged during the recent Haass talks come to full fruition. The Committee agreed to write to An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD and An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Eamon Gilmore TD to support the Irish Government’s efforts to advance the Haass proposals. The Committee will also urge the Irish Government to commit funding to ensure the Justice for the Forgotten can continue their valuable work beyond June this year.”
Ends
For further information please contact:
Paul Hand,
Communications Unit,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2
P: +3531 618 4484
M: +353 87 694 9926
paul.hand@oireachtas.ie
Members of the Committee:
Deputies: Seán Conlan, Seán Crowe, Clare Daly, Regina Doherty, Frank Feighan, Martin Ferris, Peter M Fitzpatrick, Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan, Michael P Kitt, Joe McHugh (Chair), Joe O’Reilly (Vice-Chair), Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, Brendan Smith, Joanna Tuffy and Jack Wall
Senators: Maurice Cummins (Leader of the House), Jim D’Arcy, Mary Moran and Mary White