In 1999, the Irish and British Governments established the Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains. Over the years, the commission has been adequately resourced by the Irish and British Governments. Can the Tánaiste give us an assurance that the important work of the commission will continue through appropriate resourcing for whatever length of time it is needed? When the commission was established, its remit was to assist in the recovery of the bodies of 17 innocent people abducted, murdered and secretly buried, mainly by the provisional IRA. In the meantime, none of us can imagine the sense of loss, the hardship and heartbreak of the families. Yesterday, thankfully, remains were recovered in Oristown, County Meath believed to be those of Mr. Brendan Megraw, a young man abducted in 1978 and murdered. His brother, Mr. Kieran Megraw, spoke in a dignified way about the sense of relief for the family. Of course it is a day of mixed emotions but he pointedly referred to bearing in mind the families of the other six people whose remains have not yet been recovered. It is important we give from the Oireachtas a clear message that if anyone has any information that could be useful in identifying a possible location where the secret burials took place, there is an obligation, morally and in every respect, for someone with relevant information to come forward to the relevant authorities. This will enable the very difficult but important work of the commission to be brought to a successful conclusion. None of us can understand the anguish, hurt and suffering of those families and I have known many of them over the years. It is beholden on all of us to assist in bringing those searches to what we might call a successful conclusion.

The Government is committed to continuing to work to ensure the remains of people who seem to have been, for the most part, summarily and brutally executed and buried in lonely sites around the country. It behoves parties whose one-time sister organisations were involved in this to give the maximum support to the moves to recover the remains. Some minutes ago, Deputies in the Chamber from Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin raised the issue of people in mother and baby homes. In respect of the family of Jean McConville, most of the children ended up in care and in difficult circumstances for most of the rest of their lives. As we make strides in the Republic to address our past, it is important that parties in this Chamber that have influence over the perpetrators, the people who carried out these brutal executions, particularly when we hear the enormous criticisms made at every turn of every procedure in this part of the island, and it would be welcome to have expressions of regret here in respect of what happened.

If it is confirmed to be the remains of Mr. Megraw, I hope it helps the family to have a proper place of burial for their brother. Both his parents have now passed on but other family members have said that it would bring them some comfort. It is important to say that if anyone out there has influence or knowledge, it would be an act of great mercy and charity to provide information.