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Seanad
‹ An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

Kenova report and Dublin bombings

Summary

Senator Fitzpatrick sought a briefing from the Minister for Justice on the Kenova report, especially its findings on the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings.

Will the Leader arrange for the Minister for justice to come to the House and brief us on the findings and recommendations of the Kenova report. The Kenova report was released this week. It is an investigation into some of the darkest moments in our recent history on this island. Most critically in my area, it looked at the Dublin and Monaghan bombings 51 years ago in May 1974 on Talbot Street. On that day 33 people lost their lives. There are surviving family members who are still looking for answers. We all know that justice delayed is justice denied. I would really appreciate it if the Leader could arrange for the Minister for justice to come to the House to share with the House the findings of the Kenova report and, most importantly, to outline to the House how the Government will implement the recommendations from that report.

Tonight's "Prime Time" programme on RTÉ One will deal with the issue of nitrous oxide, laughing gas. It really is not a laughing matter. This is a really serious public health issue. It is a criminal issue. Youth services, and I am a director of a youth service myself, have been raising this issue for a number of years. It is incredibly dangerous for young people. It can cause spinal injury, neurotoxicity and physical injury.

It is a very serious public health issue. We saw a delay in the public awareness campaign for HHC. We need the Minister for Health to come to the House to outline how she is going to launch a public health awareness campaign that highlights the dangers of nitrous oxide and the criminality involved but, most importantly, a campaign that aims at preventing this by educating young people and supporting them, along with their parents, teachers and youth workers, to avoid such dangers, to look after themselves and to make healthy decisions for themselves.

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