Vol. 519 No. 1
39 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if the Government has sought or received any report from the British authorities in regard to the progress of the investigation into the murder in Portadown of Mr. Robert Hamill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13081/00]
Robert Hamill died on 8 May 1997 following an attack in Portadown. RUC officers were in the vicinity at the time. Six people were charged in 1997 with his murder, but the charges in relation to five were dropped before they came to trial. Only one was convicted on 25 March 1999 for the offence of causing an affray and not of murder. The Independent Commission for Police Complaints supervised the RUC investigation into the actions of the RUC officers on the night in question, following which a report was sent to the DPP. On 30 September 1999 the DPP decided not to proceed with the prosecution of any RUC officer. The RUC file on the case remains open.
Since 1997 the case has been actively pursued with the British authorities both at official and ministerial level. In October 1999, the Government's disappointment at the DPP's decision and the widespread and deep concern that exists about this case was conveyed personally to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by my predecessor.
The grave dissatisfaction about the case which exists throughout the Nationalist community and among human rights groups and others has led, understandably, to a mounting number of calls for a public inquiry, for which there are strong grounds. The Taoiseach and I plan to meet the Hamill family in the near future.
