THE TÁNAISTE has said the government is committed to finding 'truth and justice' for the Dublin-Monaghan bombings.
Simon Harris was speaking yesterday on the 51st anniversary of the bombings, which occurred on May 17, 1974, claiming the lives of 34 people.
In Dublin, 27 people — including a mother and her unborn baby — were killed when three car bombs exploded in the city centre, while seven people died from a car bomb in Monaghan town.
No warnings were given ahead of the explosions — for which the Ulster Volunteer Force claimed responsibility — and no one has been charged in connection with the tragedy.
'Questions that remain unanswered'
Mr Harris described the attacks as 'a most horrific act of violence' but expressed his hope that the forthcoming Denton Review into the so-called Glenanne Gang would shed light on the case.
"It is with great sadness that we remember the lives of the 34 people, including an unborn baby, who were taken from us on that summer afternoon," he said.
"Five decades on, I am conscious that time can never truly erase the pain of their absence. My thoughts are with their families on this difficult day.
"We remember also, the hundreds injured in the brutal attacks and all those who were left behind to face the significant challenges of lives forever changed.
"Today is an opportunity to remind ourselves of the questions that remain unanswered. It remains deeply regrettable that no person has been held responsible for the attacks to date.
"The publication of the Operation Denton report is expected in the coming months. It is my sincere hope that these findings will shed new light on the terrible events of May 17, 1974.
"This government remains committed to finding truth and justice.
"I have raised the case of the Dublin Monaghan bombings with the British Government — highlighting the successive Motions passed in the Dáil with the unanimous support of all political parties.
"I am committed to taking this forward in a bid to get long-awaited answers."
'Callous attacks'
Meanwhile, Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, called on the British Government to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigations into the bombings, which he described as 'a devastating series of coordinated explosions'.
"The Government will not forget our duty to the victims and survivors, and we will persevere in our efforts to seek out the truth behind the tragic events of May 17, 1974 and, hopefully, secure some measure of comfort for those effected by these callous attacks," he said.
"We have worked consistently to implement the all-party motions which call on the British Government to allow access to all relevant documents relating to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and I specifically raised this issue with the British Government at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference at Hillsborough Castle.
"The investigation into the bombings remains an open case in this jurisdiction. Any new evidence that comes to light will be fully investigated by An Garda Síochána.
"The Government is committed to working with victims' groups and our Northern Ireland and British counterparts to develop fit-for-purpose mechanisms to meet the needs and expectations of all those impacted by those dark days, including the victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.
"We will play our full part in legacy processes including addressing the legacy of the conflict in this jurisdiction."
The three bombs in Dublin exploded within minutes of each other during evening rush hour in Parnell Street, Talbot Street and South Leinster Street.
Meanwhile the Monaghan bomb went off in North Street around 90 minutes later, just before 7pm.
Many of the victims of the bombings were young women, including 20-year-old Colette Doherty, who was nine months pregnant and whose unborn child was later recorded as the 34th victim of the atrocity.
Four members of the same young family also died in the bombs: John O'Brien, 24, his 22-year-old wife Anna and their children Jacqueline (17 months) and Anne-Marie (five months).
The Dublin victims included Antonio Magliocco, 37, originally from Italy and 30-year-old Simone Chetrit, a French woman visiting the capital.
The oldest victim was 80-year-old John Dargle, who was killed in the second Dublin bomb.
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