Results 81-100 of 1,049,285 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Darren O'Rourke OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Niall Collins OR speaker:Alan Kelly OR speaker:Hildegarde Naughton)

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: The Deputy has asked a number of questions and I will do my best to answer them all. The first question he raised was whether I recall his making the case to the British Government and senior British officials. Yes, I do. As he knows, I made that point strongly and I know he added to it. I think that has been noted in the British system. Obviously, I cannot comment on the reply he received...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Rory O'Hanlon: I call Deputy Rabbitte.

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Will you allow me to reply?

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Rory O'Hanlon: I have called Deputy Rabbitte.

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin: Will you come back to me?

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Rory O'Hanlon: It is a question of time, Deputy. If everybody takes five minutes to ask a question, we may not have time.

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Rabbitte: I wish to express my party's appreciation to Mr. Justice Barron for the effort put into this important investigation. Has the Taoiseach formed any view about any further inquiry or the shape of a further inquiry? In respect of the verbal commitments given by the British Government, expressly so by Mr. Paul Murphy, does the Taoiseach consider that the order of co-operation by the British...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Deputy Rabbitte's questions can be divided into two sections, the first of which relates to the information the British have given. I have said in this House on many occasions that while I cannot guarantee 100% co-operation in respect of the records held by the Northern Ireland Office and within the British defence system, the level of co-operation has been good. Those involved have genuinely...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Pat Rabbitte: Should we not inquire into the matter? Servants of the State in possession of serious documents on an act of mass murder which have gone missing in our sovereign control——

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: My answer relates to the British side, which was the first aspect of the Deputy's question. I do not think the position will change in that regard. Having watched the British dealing with a number of other inquiries and being familiar with the way the system works there, I do not think that there will be a change. I do not think we could appoint someone in a higher position to do the job —...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Enda Kenny: I would like to pursue an aspect of this matter that arises from Deputy Rabbitte's question. Many people put a great deal of faith in the relationship between the Taoiseach and the British Prime Minister. In the Taoiseach's last reply to the Dáil he referred to a meeting on 19 January at which he again asked the British Prime Minister for full co-operation. I would not like people to think...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: Over Christmas Members had a chance to read the report and consider its annexes. We now have substantially more knowledge than we ever had before. One can piece together through the documentation what may or may not have happened. It is no longer woolly. There is much information available. The Deputy asked whether any more information is available. All I can tell him is that I do not think...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Trevor Sargent: We can expect some meaningful answers on Question Time. I wish to go back to an answer the Taoiseach gave when he described the files at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law reform as having vanished. Can I take it he does not actually mean that, as that is the kind of answer one expects from Paul Daniels? Does the Taoiseach mean that he has not been able to find where the files have...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: I am not being flippant when I say the files have vanished. If the Deputy wants me to phrase it better, I can say that files in the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, that were indicated to exist at one time, could not be found after extensive searching of the Department's records and archives. That matter was examined, as was the Garda issue referred to by Deputy Rabbitte. A...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Trevor Sargent: Will the Government agree to a public inquiry?

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: We will see what happens at the end of the process. However, we must let the committee come to its judgment and report to the House. The Government has not considered the end position until it has been reached, as to do so would be irresponsible.

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Trevor Sargent: Will the process be fast-tracked?

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Bertie Ahern: There can be no fast-tracking this issue. It has already taken five years to get the process to this stage. Deputies may want quick public inquiries, but if there is one thing I have learned in almost seven years as Taoiseach, it is that there is no such thing. Deputies will find this situation no different. We may not get anywhere quickly but we should receive the committee's report quickly...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Joe Higgins: What credibility does the Taoiseach give to the British Prime Minister's assurance of co-operation with an Oireachtas committee when he signally failed to ensure his Government and its agencies co-operated fully with the Barron inquiry? The Taoiseach is glossing over the level of co-operation he received. Is he aware that Mr. Justice Barron pointed out that, of 68,000 files of possible...

Dublin-Monaghan Bombings. (3 Feb 2004)

Rory O'Hanlon: I ask the Deputy to withdraw the word "lie", please. It is not appropriate in this House.