Oireachtas to report on Barron inquiry in three months

The Oireachtas inquiry into the findings of the Barron inquiry, which will hear from the relatives of those killed in the 1972…

The Oireachtas inquiry into the findings of the Barron inquiry, which will hear from the relatives of those killed in the 1972/1973 bombings and the injured, will report within three months. Mark Hennessy, Political Correspondent, reports.

The Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Women's Rights has set up a special sub-committee to further probe the report presented by Mr Justice Henry Barron.

Chaired by Fianna Fáil Dublin South Central TD Mr Seán Ardagh, the sub-committee will also include Labour TD Mr Joe Costello, Fianna Fáil TD Ms Máire Hoctor, Mr Finian McGrath (Independent), Mr Gerard Murphy (Fine Gael), Mr Sean Ó Fearghaíl (Fianna Fáil) and Senator Tony Kett (Fianna Fáil).

Submissions from the public and all interested parties and individuals have now been sought. The sub-committee intends to hold a series of public hearings at the end of January.

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The sub-committee would not respond to the complaints levelled against the British side by Mr Justice Barron because, Mr Ardagh said, they had to adopt a quasi-judicial role and not seen to favour any side.

Three people died and 185 people were injured in the three atrocities which occurred on November 26th, 1972, December 1st, 1972, and January 20th, 1973.

"I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the victims and relatives of those events," said Mr Ardagh. Some of the relatives attended last evening's press conference.

However, Fine Gael TD Mr Jim O'Keeffe, who is not a member of the sub-committee, sharply criticised the lack of co-operation shown by the Northern Ireland Office and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

"It is clear that the work is incomplete. It is quite clear that efforts to secure documentation from the British were not fully successful.

"I don't think that we will ever get to the full answer to this question without co-operation from the British authorities," Mr O'Keeffe told a Leinster House press conference.

Demanding the intervention of the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, with the British Prime Minister, Mr Tony Blair, Mr O'Keeffe said: "It is only by direction from the top that lacuna will be filled."

Asked if there is any point to a further inquiry by the Oireachtas, Fianna Fáil Limerick TD Mr Peter Power said the sub-committee's first hearings into the Dublin/Monaghan bombings had given a forum for those left voiceless for decades.

Relatives of the Dublin/Monaghan bombings had been given the opportunity to grieve in public which "should not be underestimated".

"That was a very important part of the last report."

Independent TD Mr Finian McGrath, who was one of those to serve on the first inquiry, said it is very important that it should focus its attention on the victims of the bombings, the injured and their relatives.

Meanwhile, it has been learned that a commission of investigation into the Dublin/Monaghan bombings - one of the recommendations of the Oireachtas inquiry in its last report - is to be set up shortly.

In a letter to Mr O'Keeffe the Taoiseach this week said that "the preparatory work" for such a body is under way. Under recent legislation, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr McDowell, can seek tenders from barristers and solicitors seeking to become involved in such work.

In his letter, however, Mr Ahern did not say if the new rules would apply. "Issues relevant to the establishment and operation of the commission will be discussed with the commission when appointed.

"I am not in a position at this time to say what procedures will apply in relation to the appointment of staff, including legal staff. It is the Government's intention that commissions of investigations will operate in a timely, efficient and cost-effective way," he said.