Coroner’s Inquest.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 November 2004

Wednesday, 17 November 2004

Ceisteanna (51)

Liz McManus

Ceist:

78 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Defence if his attention has been drawn to recent comments from the coroner for Donegal north west who investigated the death of an Irish soldier who was killed during a dispute with fellow officers while serving on UN duty in the Lebanon in 1989, that the Department of Defence gave very little co-operation when preliminary information was sought into the soldier’s death; if his Department will co-operate fully with the new inquest into the soldier’s death; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28828/04]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence (Mr. O’Dea)

I am advised that my Department co-operated fully with the coroner for north-west Donegal in relation to the inquest into the death of an Irish soldier while on service with the United Nations in Lebanon in 1989.

In response to a request from the coroner, all the information requested was supplied with the exception of the United Nations board of inquiry report. The UN board of inquiry report is a confidential document, which belongs to the UN and is only provided to the Government on the basis that it is not made public in any form, either in whole or part.

My Department provided a copy of the Irish contingent board of inquiry report to the coroner. In addition, a member of the 28th infantry battalion represented the Defence Forces at the preliminary hearing of the inquest on 21 October 2004. I can confirm that my Department will continue to co-operate fully with the inquest into the soldier's death.