asked the Minister for Justice if he is aware of allegations that MI6 was responsible for bombs which were planted in crowded Dublin streets resulting in death, maiming and destruction; if these allegations have been investigated by the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions Oral Answers. - Dublin Bombings Allegations.
5.
I assume that the question arises from an article which appeared in a Belfast Sunday newspaper of 1 March and in which allegations on the lines indicated by the Deputy were attributed to a former captain of the British Army.
It appears, however, that the material in that report has been repudiated by the person concerned. In particular, in an article in another newspaper on Sunday 8 March, the person concerned is reported as denying that he had made any such allegation and I understand that a similar denial was reported in a radio bulletin. Furthermore, the person concerned and another person associated with him are reported in the second newspaper article to which I have referred as being very critical of the way in which, in earlier reports, allegations had been attributed to them which they indicated they had not made and could not support.
Have persons, alleging to have information concerning this act of inhumanity perpetrated against citizens walking the crowded streets of the capital going about their innocent business, who in recent times have alleged they had contact with the Northern Ireland security forces and who have, according to some reports, some information regarding the explosions in Dublin, been interviewed or questioned by the Garda Síochána?
Having regard to what I said in reply to the original question, I should like the Deputy to know that I believe there is no real basis for carrying out any investigation of reported allegations if the person to whom they were attributed says that he did not make them and could not support them. That would look a little silly.
A very serious situation exists here. We have an unsolved crime——
Ceist.
This is an unsolved crime against humanity, against many people such as a constituent of mine who had his legs blown off. Would the Minister arrange for the Garda authorities, if necessary, to extradite the journalist who wrote the article? Will he ensure that the Garda question persons who are alleged to have given the information and persons alleged to have information concerning the involvement of MI6, or seek, if necessary, to have these persons brought to the jurisdiction of the Republic to be questioned regarding this very serious matter which remains unsolved?
I think the Deputy is forgetting that those who were reported as making the allegations clearly stated they did not make the allegations and that they could not support them. Will the Deputy tell me how that sort of incident can be investigated?
If the Ceann Comhairle would give me time, I should certainly like to tell the Minister what should be done. However, I am confined to asking questions at Question Time. In view of the nature of this very serious crime, if I were Minister for Justice or Garda Síochána Commissioner, I would want to know for certain that anybody who was making any comments, however light, however frivolous, and all who have reported such comments would be pursued——
This is turning into a debate.
——to see if there was a modicum of information which might lead to the solving of one of the most serious crimes perpetrated against the people of this city.
We must proceed by way of question.
Will the Minister speak to the Garda Commissioner and ask him to seek to arrange to have these persons brought within the jurisdiction of this State so that they can be questioned by the Garda——
The Deputy has already asked that question.
——to see if there is a modicum of information he may be able to use to solve this extremely serious crime?
I shall convey the Deputy's comments to the Garda Commissioner for his consideration.
Is the Minister aware that the extradition of persons for interrogation, even journalists, is not lawful in Ireland?
Is the Minister aware of any MI6 activities in the Republic of Ireland?
That is a separate question, a Cheann Comhairle.