A former soldier yesterday lost his High Court action for damages over the Army's alleged failure to identify and treat psychological and psychiatric problems which he claimed to have developed as a consequence of serving in Lebanon.
The action was taken by Mr Christopher Knowles (45), of St Rowan's Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, against the Minister for Defence and the State. Mr Knowles was among the first Irish Army battalion soldiers to serve in Lebanon, in 1978.
Mr Knowles claimed that while in Lebanon in 1978 he was exposed to events which gave rise to severe psychological and psychiatric problems which in turn progressed to a condition of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mr Justice O'Donovan, in his reserved judgment, said Mr Knowles did not blame the Army for the fact that he suffered psychological and psychiatric problems. However, he maintained that, having suffered them, the symptoms were manifest at the time and that the Army negligently failed to identify and treat them.
It was argued that Mr Knowles's psychological health had deteriorated to the extent that he was incapable of leading a normal existence and in particular was incapable of earning a living or enjoying life to a significant degree.
Mr Knowles also maintained that, had the Army identified the psychological and psychiatric problems which he developed in Lebanon in 1978 and arranged that he receive appropriate treatment, his psychological health would be considerably better than it is now and he might have been cured entirely.
Mr Justice O'Donovan reviewed the evidence in the case and said he did not think the defendants could be faulted for the treatment given to Mr Knowles at the time.
He did not think Mr Knowles had established his claim and he would dismiss it.