asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will furnish the United Nations reports relating to the actions in which members of the Defence Forces were killed in action on United Nations service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Army Deaths in UN Service.
1.
With one exception, all of the deaths in action of members of the Defence Forces on United Nations service occurred in the Congo, now Zaire, in the period July, 1960, to December, 1961. I have placed in the Library of the Oireachtas the volumes of official documents of the United Nations Security Council for this period. These volumes contain all the published reports submitted by the UN officials responsible for the operations of the UN force in the Congo during the period in question. These are the reports which I mentioned in the Dáil on 8th May, 1975 in reply to an earlier question by the Deputy on this topic.
The other death in action was that of an Irish officer killed on truce supervisory duties in the Middle East in 1967. In this regard I have placed in the Library the text of a statement made by the UN Secretary General to the Security Council at the time.
The Minister informed me on that occasion that he would make available to me the necessary reports. I subsequently rang up the Department and asked for reports on Elizabethville and the Camina Air Base situation and I did not receive an acknowledgment. Will the Minister now furnish me with the information?
The position is that all available information has been placed in the Library of the House. They are reports made available by the UN and I have no other reports on this subject. There may be some misunderstanding here between the Deputy and myself.
When did the Minister place them in the Library?
Immediately following the Deputy's last question.
They were unable to tell me that in the Department.
We investigated in the Department whether there were any other reports available besides those in the Library and we have not access to any of them. There may be UN reports which are not available to me in regard to other places. I have not got them and if the Deputy wishes, I can pursue the matter further, but at the moment I have no reports but those in the Library of the House. I regret the Deputy was not informed of that as he should have been.
I would be very pleased if the Minister would pursue the matter. There seems to be secrecy about some of the material, particularly about Elizabethville.
If the Deputy will indicate the matters he wants clarified I will be glad to help him but the position is that all available reports are in the Library of the House. Perhaps the Deputy has not had a chance to consult them. I will inquire if there are any others, but the only published reports available are in the Library of the House. If the Deputy wishes to clarify the issue on which he wishes further information I would be glad to look at it.
I should like to know in relation to the Elizabethville situation whether the action was authorised by civilians or by the military personnel—on whose authority did the fighting start? Was the decision taken as a result of information available from intelligence sources and was such information acted upon? They are the matters I should have liked to have clarified.
In nearly all places military action is authorised by those concerned in a civilian capacity, those who are in civilian control. I am sure the Deputy is aware of that. If the Deputy wishes to pursue the matter further perhaps he would be more open with the House as to what he is getting at rather than proceed by a process of insinuation.
Question No. 2.
The Minister has given——
I have given the Deputy a lot of latitude. This matter may not be debated at Question Time.
A Cheann Comhairle——
Deputy Dowling, I have called No. 2, Deputy Dowling will resume his seat when requested to do so. I cannot allow Question Time to be utilised for the purpose of debate.
For far too long you have been protecting Ministers in this House.
That is a gross insinuation. The Deputy will withdraw that remark.
It is a factual statement.
The Deputy will withdraw the remark or leave the House.
I will leave the House.
Deputy Dowling withdrew.