The Tánaiste was in Ballyseedy last weekend. No doubt he heard the documentary makers and historians say that the Dáil record which recorded the results of the court of inquiry established by one of his predecessors should be changed. The Tánaiste stated that what happened in Ballyseedy was premeditated murder. He knows that the account to the effect that the prisoners involved were clearing a mine is false. He met some of the victims' family members and told one of them that in time the Dáil record should be amended. However, he also said that we should not rush it. One hundred years have passed. In order to achieve proper truth and reconciliation, will the Tánaiste accept here and now that the account that was read into the Dáil record is false and should be corrected?

The Deputy's narrative is not entirely correct. I did a media interview. The Fuller family were very clear. The late Stephen Fuller was very clear that he did not want subsequent generations to be infected and poisoned by the savagery that occurred during the Civil War, particularly in Kerry.

That is why it took nearly six decades before he did his interview in respect of Ballyseedy.

I am sure the Tánaiste wants the truth.

I was honoured. He told the truth. We on this side of the House do not need lectures about Ballyseedy. I ask the Deputy not to try to lecture me on it. As someone who is interested in history and historical record, I am aware that there was an attempt to cover up what happened at Ballyseedy. That came right to the floor of the House. The record, in some respects, should be left to stand as part of the historical narrative relating to Ballyseedy.

Does the Tánaiste accept the narrative is a cover-up?

I said all of this in my speech at Ballyseedy. It is all public.

Does the Tánaiste accept it here?

The important point is the idea that we should, 100 years on, impose our view of what happened back then. That is the mistake that is always made in respect of history. Back then, everybody, including people in the Executive and the Army, knew that what happened was wrong. My point is the record is a historical narrative in itself that should be left as it stands because it is part of an infamous attempt to cover up what happened.

Whatever you call it, the Tánaiste accepts that it was wrong.

I have said all that. My point is that there were many atrocities during the Civil War. Let us be straight about that.

These were prisoners, though.

There were many atrocities on both sides. The brother of the late Sean Lemass met a terrible death in the Civil War. However, Lemass chose to go forward. That is the challenge. We get advice and so on. We should reflect on the best way to deal with this. There will be an event later in the year to commemorate all of those who lost their lives in the Civil War.