asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the progress which has been made with the British authorities on behalf of the Guildford Four; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Guildford Four.
10.
The Government are concerned about the case of the Guildford Four where there is evidence to suggest that there may have been a miscarriage of justice.
The British Home Secretary, in response to my representations and the representations of others, has ordered a police inquiry into new evidence which has come to light. I understand from the Home Secretary that he will decide in the light of this police investigation what further action to take.
Given that the Guildford Four have already spent 13 years in prison, even if the Home Secretary, when the findings of the police inquiry are announced — it has taken quite some time to do so — then refers the case to the Court of Appeal it would take at least another year before coming before the courts. Since those people were imprisoned extensive evidence has come to light, including the confessions of the actual bombers who are now in prison, which demonstrates their innocence. In these circumstances will the Minister make direct personal representations to the British Government to request clemency for these prisoners, particularly in view of the outcome of the Birmingham Six appeal?
I put much of what the Deputy has just mentioned to the Home Secretary when I visited London two months ago to discuss this matter with him. I agree with the Deputy regarding the urgency of the matter. In the light of what has occurred recently this is one way in which clemency could be exercised by the British Home Secretary. I will repeat my representations to him in the light of what the Deputy has just stated.
When the all-party deputation met the Home Secretary some time in the autumn, the Minister without committing himself, was under the impression that the police inquiry would be finished before Christmas. Can the Minister say if that is so?
Obviously it is not so. At that time the Home Secretary gave me that assurance. The latest information we have in that respect is that the report will not be ready, to quote the words of the British authorities, until March or April. I intend to meet the Home Secretary immediately with a view to expediting the matter.
Can the Tánaiste indicate to the House whether it is his understanding that police reports of a sensitive kind, from the point of view of Anglo-Irish relations, are normally the subject of consultation with the Irish Government through the medium of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, the British-Irish Conference or otherwise before the action is taken on them? Is that his understanding?
My expectation would be — although these are bleak days for expectations in this area — that we could develop the Anglo-Irish Conference into one in which there would be real confidence and trust in the area to which the Deputy referred and such exchanges could take place.
It is not the Minister's understanding at present.
It is quite obvious that it has not taken place in regard to the Stalker matter.
While I appreciate the commitment the Minister has given and the efforts he has already made on behalf of these prisoners, at the same time does he accept the views of relatives of prisoners such as the Birmingham Six and the Guildford Four that the Irish authorities simply have not been pressing their cases strongly enough? It is now time to take a much more firm stand with the British authorities on behalf of these prisoners.
It was following on my personal representations that the Home Secretary initiated this inquiry which is currently in operation. I will certainly continue to press the matter as best I can but we are all aware of the difficulties in regard to pressing matters of this kind with the British Government.
Like other Members, I welcome the Minister back to the House. It is good to see him here and I wish him well. To take up the point raised by Deputy Gregory, I wish to ask the Minister if the Home Secretary does not see fit to grant clemency to the Guildford Four, will the Minister express concern to the Home Secretary that this State has reservations about the Guildford Four's case now being dealt with in the Court of Appeal, as an alternative to clemency, having regard to the manner in which the Birmingham Six case was dealt with. As an alternative to the Court of Appeal reexamination of the Guildford Four case will he suggest to the Home Secretary as the second best alternative to clemency, the establishment of a separate judicial tribunal to re-examine the entire Guildford Four case together with all new evidence that has now become available?
That is an idea that can be considered.