Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 March 2023
275. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the proposals, if any, to provide additional supports to the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains in view of the absolute importance of this work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15935/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Good Friday Agreement specifically provided that it was essential to acknowledge and address the suffering of the victims of violence as a necessary element of reconciliation. The establishment by both the UK and Irish Governments of the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains (ICLVR) was one among a key set of actions taken by the Governments in fulfilling this commitment.
The ICLVR was established under the Agreement signed on 27 April 1999 by the Governments of Ireland and the UK, and by legislation enacted in the two jurisdictions. As the Deputy knows, the Commission is responsible for facilitating the location of the remains of victims of paramilitary violence (known as 'the Disappeared') who were murdered and secretly buried.
The Commission’s role is purely humanitarian. Their overriding priority is to return the remains of the victims to their families in order that they can receive a decent burial and that the families may, in some measure at least, achieve resolution or closure in regard to the deaths. These families have for decades struggled with the pain and trauma of not knowing what happened to their loved one.
The ICLVR is a concrete demonstration of the commitment of the two Governments to the families of the disappeared. The Commission has a total of 17 persons on its list and, to date, they have recovered the remains of 11 of the Disappeared. Two other victims’ remains were recovered, though not by the Commission. Four remain to be found: Joseph Lynskey, Columba McVeigh, Robert Nairac and Seamus Maguire.
The Commission, with the support of the Irish and British Governments, continues to work tirelessly on behalf of the families of the Disappeared and is committed to completing its task and locating the remains of these four people. I was pleased to meet with some of the families recently and I also had the opportunity to meet the Commission yesterday to thank them for their work and pay tribute to their retiring Chief Investigator.
I can assure the Deputy of my Department’s full support for the work of the Commission. The work of the Commission is demand led and when extra resources have been needed, those resources have been provided.
The ICLVR continues to call on those with information to bring that information to the Commission.
Those with information have an opportunity to ease the pain of the families who have suffered so much for so long. It is important that persons who may have relevant information but may be reluctant to share it with the Commission should know that confidentiality is assured and the confidentiality rule has always been strictly observed. A key feature of the governing legislation in both Ireland and the UK is that it legally guarantees that any information given to the Commission must be treated as absolutely confidential and can be used solely for the purpose of locating remains.
I call on anyone with information that could help recover the remains of those still missing to please pass that information onto the Commission where it will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.
