Vol. 478 No. 5
37 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the issues he has raised with the British authorities in relation to the need for disciplinary action against British defence force personnel serving in Northern Ireland; if he will give details of the circumstances and the progress, if any, in these discussions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11513/97]
Article 7 (c) of the Ango-Irish Agreement outlines the commitment of the two Governments on the need for a programme of special measures in Northern Ireland to improve relations between the security forces and the community, with the object in particular of making the security forces more readily accepted by the nationalist community.
Issues relating to the British Army in Northern Ireland are regularly discussed with the British Government within the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. These would include the question of RUC accompaniment of military patrols and the concerns of the nationalist community about the behaviour of particular elements of the British Army. Individual cases have also been discussed, including that of Private Ian Thain, convicted of the murder of Thomas Reilly, Private Lee Clegg, convicted of the murder of Karen Reilly, and more recently the cases of Guardsmen Wright and Fisher, convicted of the murder of Peter McBride. In the course of these and other discussions of the matters referred to by the Deputy, the Government continues to emphasise to the British Government the need for the security forces in Northern Ireland to operate at all times within the law and to be fully accountable for their actions.
