Seanad Report: Members of the British government should be brought before the Oireachtas Committee which was due to hold hearings in connection with the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings, Mr Labhrás Ó Murchú (FF) said.
The Taoiseach was correct in saying that time did not dim the need for answers. "Watching the misfortunate families on television you could see that their grief is still palpable and they are looking to us for protection and for representation.
"The suggestion that in some way we should keep the lid on this horrific issue lest we offend our nearest neighbour, Britain, is not tenable, because it's a sovereign government, and that sovereign government is subject to the requirements of human rights of international law as well."
Mr Ó Murchú asked the leader of the House, Mrs Mary O'Rourke, to check that when the committee was calling witnesses, all relevant parties would be brought before it, "including the British government."
Referring to "the indifference of our political leaders at the time, to the suffering and to the biggest bombing on any one day during the 30 years war," Ms Mary White (FF) said she believed that a Hutton-style inquiry was needed to uncover the facts. Past prime ministers and foreign and justice ministers should appear before such a body. It was very serious that files were missing from the Department of Justice. Mr Camillus Glynn (FF) said there could be no hiding place for anybody who had failed to do what they should have done in relation to this matter. Responding to callsfor an early debate on the Barron Report, Mrs O'Rourke said she had been told by the Office of the Taoiseach that he would not recommend discussing it in either the Dáil or the Seanad prior to the completion of the committee hearings. "These were dreadful deeds and time, as has been said, does not dim what has happened."