Vol. 553 No. 3
4 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Defence the investigation which has been held into the death of a person (details supplied) in a shooting incident in East Timor in April 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13952/02]
I would like once again to pay tribute to Private Peadar Ó Flaithearta who died on 15 April 2002 while on service with the former UN mission in East Timor, the United Nations transitional administration in East Timor. I again invite the House to join me in expressing sincere sympathy to his family on their sad and tragic loss.
Following the death of Private Ó Flaithearta, three separate investigations into the circumstances surrounding his death were commenced – New Zealand military police investigation; Irish military police investigation; and Irish Defence Forces court of inquiry. I understand from the military authorities that the New Zealand military police investigation, which arises because the Irish contingent serving in East Timor forms part of the New Zealand battalion, has been completed. The other two investigations are ongoing. The Defence Forces court of inquiry is expected to complete its investigations by mid-July.
A United Nations board of inquiry into Private Ó Flaithearta's death is scheduled to take place but it will only commence following completion of the Defence Forces court of inquiry.
I congratulate you, a Cheann Comhairle, and the Minister on your appointments.
It is important that the effort put in by the Defence Forces overseas is recognised in terms of the image they create for Ireland. I offer the sympathy and condolences of the Labour Party to the Ó Flaithearta family, the Minister and his Department, the Defence Forces and especially to the soldiers who were with Private Ó Flaithearta on the occasion in question following this tragic loss. This young man was starting out on his career in the Defence Forces and he wanted to play a major role in overseas missions. I am pleased the investigations are ongoing and it is right and proper that the Minister should inform the House regarding the current position of those investigations.
I wish to be associated with the condolences.
I thank Deputies Wall and McGinley for their kind words about me and, more particularly, for their expressions of sympathy to the Ó Flaithearta family. One needs to have the experience of seeing the Defence Forces in action under the mandate of the United Nations in war-torn parts of the world to fully appreciate the work they do and the sacrifices they make. In this case a tragic accident led to Peadar Ó Flaithearta's most untimely death. It is a telling reminder, notwithstanding whatever resources are provided to ensure the security and protection of our soldiers abroad, that accidents can happen and they cause enormous trauma for the families concerned and the Defence Forces as a whole. Though one cannot give a 100% guarantee, we do everything we can to ensure, through provisions of this House, that everything humanly possible is done to protect soldiers.
