Vol. 521 No. 3
49 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the mechanism available to him to raise the issue of the use of plastic bullets by the armed forces in the North of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16390/00]
The Government pursues issues such as the use of plastic baton rounds (PBRs) through the framework of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference. The Government shares the widespread concerns about deaths and serious injuries which have arisen from the use of plastic baton rounds in Northern Ireland, and has made known its views to the British Government on numerous occasions within the framework of the Conference.
The Patten Report recommended that there should be a research programme to find an "acceptable, effective and less potentially lethal alternative to the PBR". The research programme is scheduled to commence this month and the Government will consider its findings when these become known.
