Vol. 416 No. 4
48 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will obtain an explanation from the Northern Ireland Office of the most exceptional circumstances in which the UDR patrol without a police presence was in direct contact with the community at 9.05 a.m. on Wednesday, 5 February 1992, at Donaghmore Road, Dungannon; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
67 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will obtain an explanation from the Northern Ireland Office of the most exceptional circumstances in which a British army patrol without a police presence was in direct contact with the community at 8.45 a.m. on Wednesday 28 January at Newtownkelly, Coalisland; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
93 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs whether he will obtain from the Northern Office an explanation of the exceptional circumstances in which a British Army patrol without a police presence was in direct contact with the community at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday 28 January 1992 at Irish Street, Dungannon, County Tyrone; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 48, 67 and 93 together.
I have instructed my officials to raise the instances contained in the Deputy's questions with the British authorities through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat.
The Irish Government attach very great importance to the application of the principle that the armed forces — which include the Ulster Defence Regiment — operate only in support of the civil power in Northern Ireland, with the particular objective, as set out in the Hillsborough communique, "of ensuring as rapidly as possible that save in the most exceptional circumstances there is a police presence in all operations which involve direct contact with the community". This joint formal commitment, as expressed in the Hillsborough communique, was reiterated by both sides at the Anglo-Irish Conference of 18 December 1991 and is reflected in the joint statement which issued from that meeting.
