Jack Wall
Ceist:98 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence if all the reports have been completed in relation to the deaths of four Defence Forces members in the Lebanon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2629/01]
Written Answers. - Accident Investigations.
The following investigations were undertaken into the accident which occurred on 14 February 2000, which resulted in the tragic deaths of Private Declan Deere, Private Brendan Fitzpatrick, Private Matthew Lawlor and Private John Murphy: UNIFIL board of inquiry; Irish contingent board of inquiry, and Lebanese police inquiry. A copy of the UNIFIL board of inquiry has been received from UN headquarters through the Department of Foreign Affairs. United Nations board of inquiry reports, which are the property of the United Nations, are confidential and the United Nations stipulates that they should not be made public in any form, either in whole or in part. The Irish contingent board of inquiry is a United Nations document and subject to the same procedure as the UNIFIL board of inquiry.
On 29 November 2000, the trial of the four Lebanese citizens involved in the fatal road traffic accident took place at the military tribunal in Beirut. The four were charged with causing the deaths of four Irish soldiers and wounding others in that they failed to properly maintain and repair their vehicle which resulted in the leak of gasoline from the vehicle. They were subsequently found guilty and sentenced.