Flanagan to raise release of bomb files with next Northern secretary

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said he will again raise the release of files and papers relating to the May 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings when a new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is appointed after the British election.

He said Taoiseach Enda Kenny, on a recent visit to Belfast, made clear the importance the Government attached to disclosure and co-operation in dealing with the legacy.

"For the Irish Government and other State authorities, this means committing to co-operating to the fullest possible extent with all of the many legacy cases,'' he said.

Mr Flanagan said he would continue to ask the British government to give them access to an independent international judicial figure and original documents it had relating to the bombings.

The Minister was responding to Fianna Fáil foreign affairs spokesman Brendan Smith who said the bombings were the single greatest act of carnage in the "Troubles", killing 34* people from Dublin city and Monaghan town.

Mr Smith said the Dáil, in 2008 and 2011, unanimously passed a motion requesting the British government to give an eminent international legal person access to papers and files.

“Unfortunately, to date, the British government has not reacted positively to a call from a sovereign parliament,’’ he said.

He urged the Minister to ensure he again raised with British government members, at every opportunity, the need to respond positively and progress investigation “into the desperate and evil deeds’’.

Mr Flanagan said he had raised the matter with Secretary of State, Theresa Villiers, including when he met her in Belfast in January and Dublin in February.

He was aware and welcomed the raising of the matter with Ms Villiers by Mr Smith and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin when they met her in February.

“The Secretary of State has indicated to me on a number of occasions that the British government would consider afresh how it can respond to these Dáil motions,’’ Mr Flanagan added.

*This article was edited on April 30th, 2015.