Families of two teenagers killed when a 100lb bomb exploded almost 35 years ago in Belturbet, Co Cavan today demanded a public inquiry.
The relatives of 15-year-old Geraldine O'Reilly and Patrick Stanley (16) who were killed on December 28th, 1972, said the State, ministers and gardai have ignored their attempts to seek answers for over three decades.
One of Mr Stanley's sisters, Ms Susan Stanley, speaking at the Joint Oireachtas Committee, which is examining Justice Henry Barron's report into the series of bombings in the early 1970s, said: "We need a public inquiry. Someone needs to be held responsible. They physically got away with mass murder."
Another sister, Gretta, said that as far as the State was concerned the families did not exist. Both families said no-one had informed them of any progress into the investigations despite contacting TDs, several justice ministers and Mr Justice Barron himself.
"We need to hear from the British government and the PSNI. It is important to us that we have the answers," Ms Gretta Stanley said. "We had always been told it was a loyalist attack, a loyalist bombing."
One of the members of the committee, Mr Joe Costello, the Labour Party spokesman for justice, said: "We certainly heard your pleas for justice for something to be done."
Mr Cormac O'Dúlacháin, SC, for Justice for the Forgotten told the committee it seemed there was still State secrecy involved and the Department of Justice was reluctant to facilitate open disclosure.
Over the next few days the Army, Garda and Department of Justice personnel will give evidence on the investigations to the Oireachtas Committee.