Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 November 2013
105. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has raised with the Northern Ireland Secretary of State the serious issues relating to collusion outlined in the recent publication, Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48977/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra122. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the issue of collusion was ever raised with the British Government over the past two years. [48875/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 105 and 122 together.
In recent weeks there have been several sharp reminders of the devastation that the conflict in Northern Ireland had on families and communities. The allegations of collusion and the murders described in Anne Cadwallader’s book Lethal Allies, and the BBC and RTÉ documentary on "The Disappeared" this week, remind us that dealing with the past remains a central issue for society. They also remind us that thousands of people lost their lives, tens of thousands of people were injured and very few communities are untouched by the violence, trauma and bitter legacy of the period.
Allegations of collusion, investigations and calls for public inquires into such allegations have featured in our discussions with the British authorities since the 1970s. Most recently, following the report by Sir Desmond Da Silva into Pat Finucane's murder, the British Prime Minister David Cameron said the degree of collusion exposed between elements of the security forces and loyalist paramilitaries was "unacceptable".
Anne Cadwallader personally briefed my officials on the main conclusions of her book shortly in advance of publication. On 9 November in Armagh, I had the opportunity to meet with Denise Fox. She is the daughter of Denis Mullen, an SDLP Councillor who was murdered at his home near Moy on September 1, 1975. I was moved to hear firsthand about the impact her father's murder, and the attempted murder of her mother, has had on her life. Like many families in NI her search for truth is not yet complete. Many murders in that area highlighted by Ms. Cadwallader were raised by the Irish Government with British counterparts over the years, following representations from politicians and clergy in the area about the conduct of the security forces and UDR personnel. We are now examining the new text in detail and will consider further action in light of that examination. I raised these issues when I met the British Deputy Prime Minster, Nick Clegg, in London last week.
The Government supports the work of the Panel of Parties established by the First Minister and deputy First Minister to look at dealing with the past, with parades and with flags and emblems. When I last met with the Independent Chair of the Panel Dr. Haass in Dublin we discussed how best to deal with the legacy of the past. There is much in the Eames Bradley Report that is of relevance. That is a point I made to Dr. Richard Haass when I met him in Dublin and offered whatever support possible from the Irish Government to help him in his work. I will continue to emphasise this as those talks reach their conclusion.
