Vol. 395 No. 4
7 Mr. Barry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised, through the Anglo-Irish Conference, the report that, despite the Steven's investigation into security force leaks to paramilitaries, loyalists were apparently tipped off about raids on their homes early in January, 1990.
I was deeply concerned to read this report and this concern was immediately conveyed to the British authorities through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat in Belfast.
I do not wish to prolong the proceedings but may I ask the Minister one supplementary question? Would he not agree that the loyalist paramilitaries, as they did last weekend, are thumbing their noses at the Steven's inquiry? The British Government should get to the bottom of this matter as quickly as possible and clear it up for the very reason outlined in Question No. 3, instilling confidence in the security forces.
I am in a position to share the Deputy's concern about the events of the weekend. I am sure the Deputy will share my concern at what appears to be a deliberate effort on somebody's behalf to burn out the Steven's inquiry head office when all the documentation which had been accumulated during the course of the inquiry was destroyed. It would appear that efforts are being made to try to thwart a successful inquiry by Mr. Steven's who, I understand, is making a geniune effort to deal with a very serious——
I do not doubt that at all.
——series of events in Northern Ireland. This has a bearing on the first question the Deputy asked, the question of confidence, the keystone to the agreement.
We now come to deal with other questions to the same Minister. Question No. 8.
