Vol. 426 No. 6
70 Mr. Sargent asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has written to the British Prime Minister to express his concern at the refusal to hold an inquiry into the killing of 13 civilians by members of the British Army in Derry on 30 January, 1972.
The findings of the Widgery Tribunal, which was appointed by the British Government to inquire into the events of Bloody Sunday, have been widely viewed as unsatisfactory eversince their publication in April 1972 and have been a source of distress to the families of those who died. It was for that reason, in reply to a parliamentary question on 10 February 1993, that I welcomed the recent explicit recognition by the British Prime Minister that the victims of Bloody Sunday should be regarded as innocent of any allegation that they were shot while handling firearms or explosives. However, I recognise the concerns of the relatives of the victims that not all the allegations of the Widgery report have been dealt with. I would, therefore, welcome any further steps which could be taken by the British Government to meet the legitimate concerns of the families in this regard. I have not written to the Prime Minister but I am satisfied that the British Government is fully aware of our views on this point.
