Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 1995

Vol. 457 No. 2

Written Answers. - European Court Judgment.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

39 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the implications for the peace process of the decision against the United Kingdom by the International Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg regarding the three IRA members killed in Gibraltar. [13813/95]

Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Spring)

The Government has accepted the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in this case.

The judgment underlines the paramount importance of the rule of law and the necessity for the control and organisation of all such security operations to take full account of the need for strict safeguards in relation to any possible recourse to lethal force.

It can only be helpful on all sides to have this important principle reaffirmed in this way by the court. I do not consider that the decision has implications for the peace process going beyond that, unless it is to underline the importance of the cessation of violence for all sides, and the need to ensure that such grim and tragic events can never happen again.