Thank you for the opportunity to raise this important matter on the Adjournment. With your permission and that of the House I wish to share my time with my constituency colleague, Deputy Dermot Ahern.
Adjournment Debate. - Incursion by British Army Helicopter.
That is satisfactory.
This matter arises from an incursion into the north Louth area at approximately 2 p.m. yesterday when two British Army helicopters, accompanied by RUC personnel, made their way three or four miles over the Border. Incursions along the Louth-Armagh Border have not been uncommon in the past, in fact they took place on a regular basis in previous times. This incursion is the first we know of since the announcement of the ceasefire in August 1994. The psychological significance of the incursion cannot be underestimated. It caused considerable anger and irritation to the people in the Ravensdale area where two British Army helicopters hovered for over half an hour. The people in the area are angry and demand that the Minister for Foreign Affairs raise the matter at the Anglo-Irish Secretariat and lodge a protest. The important thing is that incidents such as this do not happen again.
I sincerely hope the incident does not have a detrimental impact on the ceasefire. The activities of British Army helicopters in the Border area in the past are well recorded and chronicled. Many of us felt the era of their presence had passed but this incursion is a reminder that while we are six months into a ceasefire, they are still in the North. I ask the Minister of State who is replying to the debate to protest to the British Army authorities and to ensure it does not happen again.
I thank my colleague for allowing me the opportunity to add my comments on this subject. When speaking on the Adjournment last night about the Garda Divisional Headquarters in Dundalk I referred to this incident because I had received some 'phone calls. This morning I received more 'phone calls from people in the Ravensdale area about the matter. I agree with the remarks made by my constituency colleague as some people have not experienced this type of incident previously.
In certain areas incursions take place frequently, people are used to them and probably know the identity of the soldiers and RUC personnel. This incursion was in an area which is difficult for RUC personnel to get to. The helicopters tracked them into the Republic, into an area where it is not usual to make a map reading error. I exhort the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs to make the strongest possible protest through the Anglo-Irish Secretariat in relation to this incident.
The reality of the peace process is very different for people in Dublin. There is still a significant British Army presence in Border areas. Two weeks ago while driving to Armagh to attend the investiture of Seán Brady I was stopped by the British Army on three occasions. This had nothing to do with the event in Armagh; when I was stopped I was still quite a distance from my destination.
Even though the British authorities have said that they will withdraw the Army from the streets there is now a stronger Army presence in some Border areas. I do not understand why members of the British Army should be allowed to come into the Republic. We have our own security services which are more than able to deal with any criminal activity. In future the RUC should contact the Garda and ask them to apprehend an offender.
I thank the Deputies for raising this matter. Unauthorised incursions into this jurisdiction by British security personnel and members of the RUC have always been viewed by Irish Governments as very serious matters. This is more than ever the case now that the violence in the North has ceased. Every care must be taken by the authorities on both sides to ensure that everything is done to maintain public confidence in the ceasefire. Incidents such as this can have disturbing effects on local Border communities.
On the basis of Garda reports to hand, I can confirm that the incursions took place shortly after 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon. The Garda in Dundalk received a telephone call from the RUC in Newry to say that an RUC patrol car was in pursuit of a vehicle which was headed towards the Drumadd area of County Louth. Shortly afterwards, telephone calls were received by the Garda from local residents saying that a British Army helicopter and an RUC patrol vehicle were seen in the Ravensdale area. A Garda patrol vehicle arrived shortly afterwards and observed the British Army helicopter hovering over the Ravendale area. It did not land and sometime after the Garda arrived at the scene it departed in the direction of the Border.
The Garda did not observe the RUC patrol vehicle but, according to reports, it was seen by several local people in the Ravensdale area. One report indicated that the vehicle stopped at one point and the occupants, two uniformed RUC officers, spoke to local people who informed them that they were in this jurisdiction. Reports to hand indicate that the helicopter was two to three miles inside this jurisdiction while the RUC vehicle was one and a half to two miles inside. The Garda subsequently accosted the two occupants of the vehicle which the RUC patrol had been pursuing in connection with a suspected offence in their jurisdiction which was not paramilitary related. They agreed to accompany the Garda to Dundalk Garda station where they made voluntary statements. Both are understood to have addresses in Newry, County Down. The gardaí are continuing their inquiries.
As soon as we received the first reports on the incursions we immediately raised the matter with the British authorities through the Joint Secretariat. When we received more substantial reports from the local Garda, the Department of Foreign Affairs sought a full explanation of the incidents from the Northern authorities. I agree with the Deputies that these were worrying incursions and the concerns expressed by them on behalf of the local residents in the area are understandable. The British authorities have indicated that on the basis of their inquiries to date both incursions were inadvertent and as soon as this was realised the RUC vehicle and the Army helicopter returned to Northern Ireland. The matter is being pursued further and we expect to receive a fuller explanation from the British authorities in due course. It will take some time to complete inquiries and I am anxious to ensure that we receive a full response and explanation.
This account is based on Garda reports to date, and it will make a fuller report in due course. While awaiting an explanation of the incidents from the British authorities, I reiterate that unauthorised crossings of the Border, including accidental or inadvertent crossings whether in the air or at surface level, have been viewed by Irish Governments as very serious matters. That is why we have asked the British authorities for a full explanation of the incidents and an assurance that the greatest care will be taken to avoid such incidents in the future.
They should be able to read a map.