Debate contribution: Kingsmills Massacre: Police Ombudsman’s Report

Debate contribution by Mr Robbie Butler on 4 November 2024.

MLA

Mr Robbie Butler

Party at the time

Ulster Unionist Party

Date

4 November 2024

Type

Debate contribution

Business

Private Members' Business

Heading

Kingsmills Massacre: Police Ombudsman’s Report

Assembly identifier

Official Report component 4626054

Read the official Assembly record

Text

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Members who tabled this important motion for debate this evening. There were many dark days during the period that we refer to as "the Troubles". Among the very worst of them was the Kingsmills massacre. It was one of the most barbaric and blatantly sectarian atrocities in our history. It has been eight years since the inquest into the Kingsmills massacre of 10 Protestant workmen began. To say that the process has failed at every level would be an unacceptable understatement. The process has failed to give the families confidence that they will receive information about the loss of their loved ones. It has failed to identify publicly those responsible for that horrific crime, although they are known. It has failed to move the Irish Government finally to give up their secrets about that vile episode. That is something on which many of us have communicated with the Irish Government numerous times. The most damning failure to date, however, must be that of the Office of the Police Ombudsman in not providing the findings of its investigation. That failure adds more distress to the sole survivor of the atrocity, Alan Black, along with the families and loved ones of those who were so callously murdered in that horrendous act. The failure of the Office of the Police Ombudsman to provide clarity and to publish its findings, which would perhaps offer some recourse, raises questions about its ability to carry out its remit. A year ago, the Chief Constable stated that the investigation of an incident at the ombudsman's home in September last year would be resolved in weeks rather than months. Twelve months after that statement and 14 months after the incident, we have had no movement on the matter. That must raise the question of how the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland can function without having the ombudsman in her role for such a period. What impact has her absence had on the office's ability to deliver on essential issues such as the release of the Kingsmills investigation findings? Last month, Mr Black was in this very Building to highlight the impact that the continued failure of the Office of the Police Ombudsman has had on him and on the families of those who were murdered. In the Great Hall, just yards from where I stand, Mr Black said, in his own words:

"We have men dead over 40 years, I'm the only one that lived, I owe them and I will have to keep fighting and get whoever we can on our side."

Then he said:

"Why the Ombudsman’s office is doing this, and me in particular in bad health, I just do not know. It’s cruel, it really is cruel."

I think that Mr Black was very kind in his description.

For such continued cruelty to be faced by Mr Black and those who lost so much in this horrific and depraved attack is a damning indictment upon every individual and agency that has obstructed, whether by intent or by negligence, the truth about this darkest time being brought to light. I and the Ulster Unionist Party support the motion, and we hope that those with information and those with authority will act.

546 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Assessment

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Assessed 21 October 2026 at 11:30 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.

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