Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 June 2014
5. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); if he is planning to meet the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26146/14]
View answerThe Minister may be aware I have raised this matter on a number of occasions with the previous Minister for Defence, Deputy Alan Shatter. By way of a brief reminder, on 27 April 1981, in Dyar Ntar, a village in south Lebanon, two privates in our Defence Forces, Hugh Doherty and Kevin Joyce, were killed by unknown forces at that time. The body of Private Kevin Joyce was never recovered and returned to his family. Private Hugh Doherty is from Letterkenny, in my constituency. I have met his family and members of the Defence Forces who served that day. There is a commitment to meet with them and I ask the Minister when that will happen.
I would like to again sympathise with the families because it is a difficult experience for any family when relatives who are serving members of the Defence Forces go to Lebanon and do not return.
The case to which the Deputy refers relates back to April 1981 in Lebanon when a UN observation post manned by Private Hugh Doherty and Private Kevin Joyce came under attack. Private Doherty was later found dead from gunshot wounds and Private Joyce was missing. Some equipment was also missing. The attackers are unknown. Earlier this year during parliamentary questions the then Minister for Defence indicated that he had received a request from the Doherty family for a meeting.
Officials of the Department of Defence intend to meet members of the Doherty family in the first instance, at a mutually convenient time and date, to gain a clear understanding of their concerns. In this regard, the Department of Defence has been in contact with the family and they are aware of the current position regarding a future meeting. I understand officials have been in contact in the past 24 hours because I specifically asked them to make contact. It is important that we have dialogue with the families involved, and specifically in this case.
I welcome that confirmation and the Minister's intervention following the submission of this question. When I met the family, I also met a number of members of the Defence Forces who served in Lebanon at that time. They have a detailed understanding of the issues involved in terms of the initial investigation by Colonel Savino. The colonel did not interview any of the team on the ground, bullet casings went missing and there were issues regarding the isolated nature of the observation post. There are a number of issues that the family, as lay people like me, do not understand. It would be only fair to the family if two members of the Defence Forces who served on that day would also be permitted to attend so the meeting can be constructive. Indeed, as I suggested previously, they would be happy to submit an agenda to the Minister and his departmental staff in advance of the meeting so they can see and prepare for the issues they intend to raise. Will the Minister allow two members of the Defence Forces who were there that day to accompany the family? It would assist in making the meeting constructive. I know the Minister wishes to get the answers as to what happened as much as anybody else.
I do not have an issue with whoever wishes to attend. My Department's officials can consider any requests from the family. This week, both the Lebanese authorities and the UNIFIL personnel were made aware of the Irish Government's desire for closure for the family of Private Joyce. During a visit last Monday with me to Lebanon, the Taoiseach asked for the assistance of the Lebanese authorities. He also raised the murders of Privates Barrett and Smallhorne while noting that the alleged perpetrator is currently living in the United States. Irish officials are in close contact with the authorities in this regard. The Taoiseach stated there was a clear need for closure and for the alleged perpetrators to be brought to justice. He sought the support of the Lebanese authorities. We will tease out further the contribution the Taoiseach made during his recent visit to Lebanon with the Lebanese authorities.
To clarify, the Minister agrees that a couple of members of the Defence Forces who were there that day can be at that meeting. That will be immensely helpful to the family. I appreciate that if that is what the Minister has agreed.
Second, and this is an issue on which I will probably follow up in correspondence, there were ongoing efforts over the years to try to engage with the authorities in Lebanon and with the Palestinian authorities to see if they could assist in locating the body of Private Joyce. There was an initiative in 2001 in which Permanent Defence Force Other Ranks Representative Association, PDFORRA, representatives met the then Minister for the Displaced in Lebanon, Marwan Hamadeh. He is still alive and is a very much respected figure. Would there be some benefit in asking our Defence Forces representatives to re-engage with them? I appreciate that it is an extremely difficult and challenging task after all these years, but I can assist with any re-engagement in terms of the personnel who met the Minister at that time. He appeared to take a great interest and to wish to pursue the matter vigorously.
There has been a huge amount of consultation between the Lebanese authorities and the Department about this case because of the circumstances. To date, no information has been elicited to lead to the recovery of Private Joyce. However, I am advised by the military authorities that even though it is now 33 years since this tragic event happened, the case remains open and efforts are made from time to time in Lebanon to establish the location of Private Joyce's remains. If located, efforts will be made to repatriate them. The Department of Defence will continue to make every effort to bring this tragic case to a conclusion. I will take on board the Deputy's comments and will talk to the officials who are dealing with the Joyce family to ensure that every assistance is given to them. If anybody has any information about this case, I ask them to come forward.
