Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 3 Feb 1994

Vol. 438 No. 3

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Television Programme on Dublin and Monaghan Bombings.

Liz O'Donnell

Ceist:

3 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Justice the steps, if any, she has taken to enquire into the allegations made in the First Tuesday television programme The Forgotten Massacre, which was broadcast on Ulster Television on Tuesday 6 July 1993, relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in 1974 in which 33 people were killed and 300 injured; the efforts that were made by the Gardaí at the time to question people who were suspected of involvement; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

18 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Justice if she has recently met with representatives of the relatives of the victims of the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings; the steps, if any, she has taken to enquire into the information provided in the recent ITV television documentary on the bombings; if senior Gardaí have yet interviewed the programme makers; if she has raised the matter at the Anglo Irish Conference or with her UK counterpart; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Ivor Callely

Ceist:

33 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Justice the stage of progress in the Garda investigation into the Yorkshire television programme on the Dublin and Monaghan bombings; if she will make the report public; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Jim Mitchell

Ceist:

37 Mr. J. Mitchell asked the Minister for Justice if the Garda enquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 1974 and the Dublin bombing of 1973 have been completed; and if she will give the contents of any report received by her to date.

Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn

I propose to take Questions Nos. 3, 18, 33 and 37 together.

In July last, I met two groups which represent the relatives of the victims of the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings. I informed both groups that the Garda Commissioner had appointed a senior Garda officer to examine the contents of the Yorkshire television programme on the bombings and I undertook to meet with both groups again when this examination was completed.

Around mid-December, the Secretary of my Department received from the Commissioner the results of that examination, together with his own assessment. The secretary had this documentation considered by senior officials and following that consideration discussed the matter with me some days ago.

Deputies will, I am sure, appreciate that the responsible course for me to follow now is to read through all the documentation and make my own assessment of the material. When I have completed this process which, I can assure Deputies will be in a matter of weeks, not months, it is my intention to get in touch with the families of the victims, in the first instance, and advise them of the conclusions, in advance of issuing a public statement on the matter.

Ms O'Donnell

I am glad that there has been progress on this matter. I look forward to the outcome of the inquiry and the Minister's deliberations on it. This matter is not about an alleged miscarriage of justice but rather an omission of justice. At this stage, 20 years later, it is high time the State justified the long delay in explaining itself in this matter. One of the allegations made in the programme was that there was a distinct lack of co-operation by the RUC with the Garda authorities at the time. Given that there was very little co-operation in the 1970s between the Garda authorities and the RUC — in the 1980s such co-operation was improving——

An Ceann Comhairle

I am very anxious to facilitate the Deputy in eliciting information, but we must proceed by way of supplementary question.

Ms O'Donnell

Given that the gardaí interviewed in the programme alleged that there was a lack of co-operation with the RUC, is there any evidence in the files in the Department of Justice to the effect that a complaint by the Garda was made to the Minister and the Department at the time that such co-operation was not forthcoming?

Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn

As a result of the television programme the Garda Commissioner instituted, at my request, an inquiry into all the events surrounding what was probably the worst tragedy on this island since the troubles began. As a result of that investigation a report has been published and is in the possession of the Secretary of the Department. I became aware of that report a number of days ago when the Secretary discussed it with me. It is a substantial report and I need time to read through it — I think the Deputy will agree that is the proper procedure — and in the light of my assessment of that documentation I will decide what further action needs to be taken. As the relatives of the people who were killed are in constant communication with my office about this matter and there is genuine public concern that there may have been a lack of co-operation between the security forces here and those in the North, I will proceed with the utmost urgency.

Ms O'Donnell

If as a result of this inquiry there are grounds for believing that such co-operation did not exist and that there are people in Northern Ireland who are responsible for these crimes, will the Minister give an undertaking that she will take proceedings to extradite those people to this State?

Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn

If, as a result of my assessment of the report which is before me, it becomes clear that aspects of the report or the report in total requires the perusal of the Director of Public Prosecutions it will be referred to him. It will be a matter for him to make a decision based upon all the facts before him.