Northern Ireland
Dail Éireann — 2026-09-29
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Brendan Smith (FF), Cavan-Monaghan

I welcome the fact that last Sunday the Taoiseach described the determination by the Parades Commission as "incomprehensible". I did not genuinely think we would be back watching scenes from Portadown, County Armagh on Sunday morning television which we, unfortunately, witnessed up to 1998. I am very glad the Taoiseach met Prime Minister Burnham and that he visited an Irish centre with him. I do not think we can ever pay enough tribute to the people and those volunteers in Irish centres throughout the world, particularly in Britain, and recognise the work they have done over the decades and that they continue to do today. It was clear from the communiqué after that meeting with the Prime Minister that there was a very thorough and relentless focus on legacy issues. They have to be dealt with because of reconciliation legacy. For far too long there are far too many families throughout this island waiting for the truth. They are waiting for the outcome of proper thorough investigations that have not been undertaken, whether it was on the bombings in Belturbet, other incidents across Cavan and Monaghan and the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974. The legacy Bill, the new framework, has to be put in statute as soon as possible. For too many of the families with whom I have worked over the years say to me - as I have said so often in this House - that they are getting old and will be gone to their graves before they ever get the outcome in relation to the atrocity that took their loved family member away.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2026-09-29/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-10-05T01:00:59+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-09-29