PEOPLE EXECUTED by the Cumann na nGaedheal government without a trial had been murdered, Fine Gael Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar told the Dáil.

Kerry North-Limerick West Sinn Féin TD Martin Ferris had accused Mr Varadkar of making a revisionist presentation of Irish history when he rejected his party’s amendment to the Road Transport Bill to remove work restrictions and other restrictions on prisoners released under the Belfast Agreement.

Mr Ferris said he could take Mr Varadkar “to my county, to Ballyseedy or Beathacha, Caherciveen, or to Countess Bridget in Killarney, where 17 prisoners were taken out in one week by the Minister’s predecessors, tied to a mine and blown to bits in the name of this State, but I will not go down that road”.

In the 1918-1923 period, there was a war in the State, Mr Ferris added.

“People were involved in that war on the island of Ireland.

“The partition of Ireland was agreed by the Minister’s predecessors.”

Mr Varadkar said one had to come to terms with one’s past and history, adding he had visited the monument at Ballyseedy, near Tralee, where eight republican prisoners were killed by Free State soldiers.

“I can say, in clear conscience and without any doubt in my mind, that the events of Ballyseedy constituted an atrocity,” the Minister added.

“I can also say that people who were murdered, or executed, without trial by the Cumann na nGaedheal government were murdered.”

Mr Varadkar said Sinn Féin TDs needed to be able to say that “Jean McConville was murdered and that the bombing of Enniskillen was an atrocity”.

He added that if Sinn Féin TDs said that, he would accept their amendment.

Accusing the Minister of making a “disgraceful statement”, Mr Ferris said: “If he thinks he can blackmail me to say what he wants, he has another think coming.”

Mr Varadkar said the principle established to date was that members of paramilitary organisations convicted of offences, and whose campaign was at an end, could be put on early release.

“They are put on early release under licence, there is no amnesty, convictions are not expunged and they are still convicted criminals,” he added.

Dessie Ellis (SF) said that many things had happened during the conflict on the island.

“Not all of us are happy, and are finding it very difficult to stand by many of the things that happened, but they happened.

“It was a very prolonged campaign and as a movement, as a party, we are in favour of a truth commission.”

Mr Ellis said Irish governments had stood by and allowed many things to happen.

Timmy Dooley (FF) said his party supported the general thrust of the Sinn Féin amendment.

“Everybody has to be given an opportunity to have a second chance.”

He said there had been discussions in the House about legislation relating to the “spent convictions principle”.

The amendment was defeated by 93 votes to 31.