Taoiseach must press British on Dublin/Monaghan bombings at EU and UN

Mary Lou McDonald

THE Dáil all-party motion calling for the British Government to release all the documents it has on the Dublin/Monaghan bombings in 1974 should be raised at EU and UN level to get some action from Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Sinn Féin Dublin MEP Mary Lou McDonald said at Monday’s 35th anniversary commemoration of the attacks.
Thirty-three people were killed on 17 May 1974 - the worst loss of life in a single attack during the conflict - and almost 300 injured. Although the attack was claimed by the unionist paramilitary UVF, evidence points to heavy involvement, if not direction, by British Intelligence.
Mary Lou McDonald said in Dublin:
“Reports  of  investigations  commissioned by the Oireachtas on this and other  fatal  attacks  have  found  that collusion between British crown forces and loyalist paramilitaries not only occurred but was widespread.”
The Dublin MEP pointed out that, in July 2008, the Dáil unanimously passed an all-party resolution calling on the British Government  to  “allow  access by an independent, international  judicial figure to all original documents held by the British Government relating to the atrocities that occurred in this jurisdiction”. That hasn’t happened, she said.
“The unanimous request of the Dáil continues to be denied by the British Government.
“The Irish Government needs to be more proactive in pursuing the British Government and should apply pressure at international level, including  the  EU  and  the United Nations. Two of the dead were citizens of France and Italy and their relatives, together with those of the 31 other victims, deserve truth and justice.”