Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 28 Nov 2000

Vol. 526 No. 6

Written Answers. - Bloody Sunday Inquiry.

Austin Currie

Ceist:

104 Mr. Currie asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on a newspaper report (details supplied) that the Bloody Sunday inquiry team wrote to the Government on 26 October 1999 and again on 18 April 2000 concerning a tape recording of conversations between British soldiers and a journalist after Bloody Sunday, which was seized by the Special Branch in May 1976, to which the Government allegedly has not replied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26411/00]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

Since its inception, the Bloody Sunday inquiry has corresponded with the Department of the Taoiseach and with my Department on a number of issues, including correspondence regarding the tape recording detailed in the newspaper reports to which the Deputy refers. My Department also maintains direct contact with the tribunal through the Department's official observer at the inquiry.

The tape recording requested by the Bloody Sunday inquiry was recently located by the Garda in Donegal. Officials of my Department confirmed this to solicitors for the inquiry and the tape was handed over to the inquiry yesterday.