Dublin-Monaghan Bombings.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 March 2004

Tuesday, 23 March 2004

Ceisteanna (493)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Ceist:

490 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if he has ordered an investigation into reports that a file on the bombing of Monaghan town on 17 May 1974 was removed from special branch headquarters in Harcourt Square on the order of a senior garda officer; if this file was later found under the seat of a garda patrol car and this occurred two years ago while the inquiry by Judge Barron was ongoing; and if the said file was supplied to Mr. Justice Barron when recovered. [8625/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell)

I am informed by the Garda authorities that a one-page document, which formed part of a contemporary working file used to make a presentation to the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings, was found in a Garda patrol car on 11 February 2000. I am further informed that this one-page document was not an original document from a 1974 file.

Upon investigation by the Garda authorities, it was found that the single page accidentally fell out of a loose leaf folder attached to the working file when it was being transported from Garda headquarters to the Garda office at Harcourt Square.

Accordingly, no further investigation into the matter is warranted.