Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 8 May 1991

Vol. 408 No. 1

Written Answers. - UDR and British Army Patrol Incidents.

Austin Currie

Question:

110 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the explanation he has received from the Northern Ireland Office for the presence of a UDR patrol in direct contact with the community and without a police presence at 6.15 p.m. on Sunday, 24 March 1991 on the Aughnacloy-Dun-gannon Road, one mile from Aughnacloy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Austin Currie

Question:

111 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the explanation he has received from the Northern Ireland Office for the presence of a British Army patrol in direct contact with the public and without a police presence at 12.30 a.m. on Tuesday, 2 April, 1991 at Kettle Lane, Coalisland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Austin Currie

Question:

112 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will outline the explanation he has received from the Northern Ireland Office for the presence of a British Army patrol in direct contact with the public and without a police presence at 7.50 p.m. on Thursday, 4 April, 1991 at Backford Bridge, Donaghmore, County Tyrone; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Collins)

I propose to answer Questions Nos. 110, 111, and 112 together.

I am grateful to the Deputy for bringing to my attention these reports of unaccompanied patrols, one of them involving the UDR and the other two involving members of the British Army. All three reports were raised with the British authorities in the Anglo-Irish Secretariat and I will communicate with the Deputy as soon as an explanation is received.

As the Deputy is aware, the Government attach the highest priority to the full implementation of the policy of accompaniment and we have repeatedly made this clear in the past through the secretariat and at meetings of the Intergovernmental Conference. The Deputy can rest assured that we will continue to press the British authorities vigorously on this issue.