I welcome the opportunity to discuss the findings of the report relating to Operation Kenova. I would like to add my voice to those of previous speakers in expressing gratitude to all of the Operation Kenova team for their work over the past ten years. They have proven, beyond doubt, that legacy investigations and reviews do work. Their stellar commitment has shone a light on a very dark part of this island's history and exposed the institutional failings that helped that darkness to prosper. This investigation delved into what, to say the least, is a very challenging subject for many people. The report makes for very difficult reading. The Troubles were without doubt one of the most difficult and heartbreaking chapters in the history of this State, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland. Across 30 years, the seemingly countless atrocities that occurred brought a raw and constant pain to the people of this island. The existence and presence of Stakeknife, acknowledged by the Kenova team to have caused the deaths of more people than he spared, is one such atrocity. This investigation needed to be handled with sensitivity and care for the victims, the survivors and their families, and with a search for truth placed right at the centre of its work. We all agree, on the basis of the findings in the report, that the Kenova team prioritised seeking truth. It prioritised providing long overdue answers to families and demonstrated that meaningful engagement with victims is both possible and, crucially, essential. This victim-centred approach must be, without doubt, the model that future legacy investigations follow. Respect should rightly be given to the dignity and courage shown by victims, survivors and their families over the past ten years. In its final report, the Kenova team highlights serious wrongdoing by both paramilitary and state actors. It exposes collusion by and failures on the part of security forces, condemns the IRA’s brutality and states very clearly that even if crimes predate the Good Friday Agreement, anyone involved, whether terrorists or members of the security forces, should face consequences. I am mindful of the ongoing debate on legacy issues in the UK and the calls by some for a door to be closed on the Troubles once and for all. However, I am of the opinion that we do not learn from history by ignoring it. We learn from history by engaging with it and by listening to those who lived through it. As a former member of the Defence Forces, I understand that justice for veterans without victims is an empty justice. To properly reconcile ourselves with the past, we must take into consideration the views and lived experiences of victims. This is why I am heartened to see the Government taking the lead by engaging with the Government of the United Kingdom on the joint framework on legacy. This framework recognises the crucial importance of co-operation in legacy matters. At its heart lies the conviction that by working together on our shared history, we can pave the way for a collaborative and peaceful future. Today, we are blessed to live on a peaceful island. Our young people have no recollection of what it meant to live through that terrible time. We must always remember, however, that peace is not inevitable. We should never take it for granted. I know that this Government has no intention of taking peace on this island for granted. I look forward to seeing the joint framework on legacy progress over the coming months.

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