The 50th anniversary of the darkest day of all during the era known as the Troubles, when 33 innocent people were murdered and hundreds badly injured in bombings in Monaghan and Dublin, will be marked on 17 May. The Government needs to continue to reassure victims and families of victims that we will relentlessly pursue the need for truth and justice. That message has to be reinforced with every engagement with the British Government. I recently spoke to the Tánaiste at the request of Patsy McGlone MLA regarding the need for the Government to support the request for a public inquiry into the death of Sean Brown, a highly regarded GAA activist in Derry. We must show that we stand with Sean's widow, Bridie, her family and friends, Bellaghy GAA club and the wider community in Derry.

To be fair, the Deputy contacted me during the week in respect of the Sean Brown case and he has been consistent regarding the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in seeking answers from the British Government regarding that terrible atrocity. In the Sean Brown case, I support the family in its quest for an inquiry. We would have preferred if both Governments and all the political parties in Northern Ireland could have agreed to a proper legacy facility and mechanism. The British Government and the Irish Government did not see eye to eye on the British Government's proposal, which was a unilateral proposal. Hence, unfortunately, we then had no option but to take an interstate case. The overall issue of legacy is not satisfactory at the moment.