Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 6 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 4

Written Answers. - British Army Contacts with the Public.

Austin Currie

Question:

42 Mr. Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will seek from the Northern Ireland Office an explanation of the contact between the British army and persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Austin Currie

Question:

61 Mr. Currie asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will seek from the Northern Ireland Office an explanation of the contact between the British army and persons (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter.

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 61 together.

At my instructions, my officials have raised the instances of non-accompaniment referred to in the Deputy's questions with the British authorities, through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat.

The Government attach very great importance to the application of the principle that the armed forces — including the Royal Irish Regiment, which subsumes the former 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". The Government hold firmly to the objective of ensuring that the principle of accompaniment is seen to be implemented fully in line with the commitment which has been made at the highest level in the Hillsborough communique, and on many occasions subsequently. Anything which falls short of that commitment cannot be regarded as satisfactory.

The British Government have confirmed that they remain committed to the principle of police accompaniment of Army (including the Royal Irish Regiment) operations which involve direct contact with the community and that it is their intention to maximise levels of accompaniment, particularly in sensitive nationalist areas. They have pointed to increased levels of police accompaniment on the ground, despite a significantly greater number of military patrols necessitated by increased security threats from paramilitaries. However, the British Government have indicated also that a number of practical, logistical or resource constraints continue to make it impossible to guarantee a continuous police accompaniment in all areas.

While I have noted the reported improvement in accompaniment levels, I do not regard the current position as satisfactory and I have directly conveyed through the Anglo-Irish Conference our strong wish to see speedy progress towards the objective of full accompaniment as set out in the Hillsborough Communique.

I indicated to this House, as recently as 1 April, that it is my intention to continue to press for meaningful, sustained and effective improvements in a number of areas pertaining to the creation of confidence in the security forces among the nationalist community in Northern Ireland. I referred specifically in this context to the objective of full and effective police accompaniment of British Army patrols and I shall continue to pursure this issue within the frame work of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.