The issue I raise is one that has been awaiting resolution for a very long time. Given the current difficulties with Brexit and the implications for the Good Friday Agreement, there is a real fear that the group Justice for the Forgotten and the survivors and the families of those killed in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings may never see a resolution. I should not have to raise this issue today, but after many years and much discussion in the Houses, in spite of the work of Justice for the Forgotten and, most significantly, the three Dáil motions in 2008, 2011 and 2016, there has been no resolution. The Dáil motions were concerned with seeking access to information and providing an independent international judicial figure who would have access to all of the relevant original documents. All three motions were passed unanimously but have been ignored by the British Government and the British embassy, which is an insult to the Dáil.

Numerous parliamentary questions on the issue have been submitted, the most recent being that from me and Deputy Brendan Smith in early October. We were told that the issue was of the utmost importance to the Government and included in the programme for Government and that it was imperative that we moved ahead with full implementation of the Stormont House agreement. That agreement provides for an historical investigations unit for Troubles-related deaths in Northern Ireland, but there is no such unit in the Republic of Ireland, as there is not in the case of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. Therefore, victims here are being treated differently. Here such deaths will be treated like all other crimes, that is, as matters for the Department of Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána that will follow up on any new evidence. How is that to inspire confidence that there will be a resolution because there has been no action taken on evidence that has been available since 1974? Within a few weeks of the bombings, the Garda had information on the who, the how, the timeframe and the routes taken by the bombers, but the investigation was wound down within a few months.

Twenty years later Mr. Justice Barron conducted an inquiry and produced a report. Has there been any action taken on it? There has not been a single conviction. Mr. Justice Barron found that Garda files and evidence from the bomb debris were missing. Further investigative journalism and books all suggest there was collusion. Mr. Justice Barron wrote that the Government of the day had shown little interest in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings and that lack of interest has continued with subsequent Governments right up to today. Throughout we had the failure of the British Government to co-operate. That continues to this day with its ignoring of the three Dáil motions to which I have referred. It has been hiding behind the facade of national security for over 40 years.

The Taoiseach and his predecessor, Deputy Enda Kenny, made very strong public statements on child abuse by members of the clergy and religious institutions. Is it not time to do the very same for the survivors and the victims' families in seeking access to all of the original documentation? Is it not time for the Garda Commissioner to apologise for Garda failures to date? Such actions could provide the impetus for real action in order that Justice for the Forgotten, the aptly named group, will see a resolution.

I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, one of which took place in her constituency. I again take the opportunity to extend my condolences to the survivors and the families of those affected, many of whom are still grieving and still do not have the answers to the questions they ask. Unfortunately, I am not in a position either to answer them. There is only so much information that any of us has on these terrible events which occurred some decades ago. I do not have an up-to-date note on the issue in front of me, but I will try over the course of the week to respond in some detail in writing to the Deputy's questions. I had not anticipated that the issue would be raised today.

Regarding historical inquiries in general, this is something of which the Government is very supportive. However, the fact that the institutions - east-west, North-South and in Northern Ireland - are not functioning in the way they should has meant that much of the progress on legacy issues that should have been happening has ground to a halt.

I had the opportunity to meet the leader of the DUP last night when we had a discussion on many issues, including what could be done to get the institutions in Northern Ireland up and running again. She seemed to be committed to it happening and it can happen once there is more clarity on what Brexit will look like. The Tánaiste and I are very committed to doing everything we can, once there is clarity on Brexit, to acting quickly to reconvene the talks, subject to the agreement of the parties, and trying to have the Assembly and the Executive up and running again and the North-South institutions functioning again. That will put us in a place where we can start to honour some of the commitments made on legacy issues.

The legacy issues have been the Cinderella of Brexit. The victims and survivors in this jurisdiction deserve the same respect and treatment as those who died in another jurisdiction in Northern Ireland. There is no doubt that another motion would be passed unanimously here today. Equally, there is no doubt that the British Government would continue to ignore it, as would the British embassy. A public statement by the Taoiseach, similar to the one he made on child abuse, would be welcome. There is a dignified and respectful commemoration held on 17 May each year that is attended by various people, including former Presidents and Taoisigh, Ministers, Deputies, councillors and Senators. It is important that it happen, but it is almost like an exercise in box-ticking. The commemoration this year is done and dusted. In the meantime, the survivors and families of the victims are still waiting. I hope, when the Taoiseach considers what I have said, that he will consider meeting them as soon as he can. There are other issues such as Brexit and broadband provision that need attention, but the people concerned have been waiting for a long time. They need to know that their wait is coming to an end.

I take the Deputy's comments on board and will consider them. I am not sure if there was a question, but I will take into account what she has said. The Tánaiste and the Minister for Justice and Equality have met the families and those lines of communication will be kept open.

That concludes Leader's Question.