asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if it is intended to publish the report submitted to him by the Government observer at the Gibraltar inquest; and the action he proposes to take on the report.
18.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Gibraltar Inquest.
10.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the findings of the Government's observer at the inquest of the three IRA members in Gibraltar, and if he will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Priority Question No. 10 and Question No. 18 together. It is not the practice of the Government to publish confidential reports of this kind.
The Government are closely monitoring all aspects of the Gibraltar shootings. As the Deputies will be aware, there have been a number of new allegations and developments recently, including the report by Amnesty International published yesterday. All of these require very careful examination and evaluation. The question of a further statement by the Government will be considered in the light of this evaluation.
The question relates not to a report but to whatever communication the observer at the inquest had with the Government on his return. He was sent there on behalf of the Government and the people because of our concern about what happened at Gibraltar on 6 March 1988. In view of what occurred yesterday with the publication of the Amnesty report and the various doubts which I have held for many months about the affair, does the Taoiseach not think it would be in the interest of this country and primarily in the interest of the administration of justice in Northern Ireland if the information and whatever views the Government may have were made public?
It is not the practice. On the other hand, there is perhaps some validity in the Deputy's argument. Perhaps the Deputy will give me an opportunity to reconsider the matter of publishing not, perhaps, the full report because it would be a very protracted report but some edited or condensed version of it.
I am grateful to the Taoiseach for that. The Taoiseach might bear in mind that when this happened last year I said that it should never be the case that security forces would descend to the level of terrorists. I hold that view very strongly and I was glad to hear the co-chairman of the Anglo-Irish Conference repeat that view on television about three weeks ago. I hope the Taoiseach will bear all that in mind before he comes to a decision.
The Deputy will also agree that on a number of occasions recently I have indicated that we must all proceed on the basis of upholding the law and act within the law in all these areas.
I was glad to hear Mr. King saying that on television about a month ago.