Sir, - RTE's Primetime is to be congratulated for the excellent investigative programme broadcast on the Arms Trial. The revelations of this programme clearly show that the Government took deliberate steps to conceal vital evidence which clearly showed that Mr Gibbons TD, the then Minister for Defence, knew of the plans to import arms for the nationalists in the North of Ireland.
An essential part of the State's case was the evidence of Col Michael Hefferon, then head of Military Intelligence in the Irish Army. His statement clearly stated that the Minister for Defence was aware of the plan to import arms. The Department of Justice officials altered this statement and all references to the fact that the Minister was aware of the planned arms importation were deleted. The original statement by Col Hefferon was the subject of a Certificate of Privilege by Minister Des O'Malley, then Minister for Justice, on October 7th, 1970, which meant that this evidence was not disclosed in the Book of Evidence.
The decision to conceal this statement by Col Hefferon was effectively tampering with crucial evidence of the trial. The defendants in this trial were all found not guilty but they and others had to endure a campaign of vilification and damage to their good names over many years.
An independent public inquiry should now be held to investigate this matter and determine who ordered this Certificate of Privilege and which ministers were party to this decision. It could not have been the decision of the Minister for Justice alone who acted in this matter.
To many people in Ireland today it must seem incredible that this plan to import arms should have happened in 1970. I recall at the time the sheer terror of ordinary people from the nationalist community who were subject to a systematic campaign of terror by loyalists mobs aided by the B Specials and the RUC, who turned a blind eye to the unfolding events of 1969-1970. It should also be recalled that the plan to import arms was two years before Bloody Sunday.
The Constitution of the Republic of Ireland claimed the jurisdiction over the North of Ireland (Articles 2 and 3) and many of the nationalists in the North pledged allegiance to the Irish State. These people were victims of the failure of British policy in Ireland and turned to the Government of Ireland for the means to defend themselves. It was the combination of the failure of the Northern Ireland state, a failed policy by the British government and procrastination by the Government of Ireland which directly led to a political vacuum and then to a 30-year conflict which has caused untold suffering, death and destruction.
I recall the statement of Mr Joe Devlin MP, who stated after the murder of the MacMahon family in Belfast by men in uniform: "If Catholics have no revolvers to protect themselves they are murdered. If they have revolvers they are flogged and sentenced to death" (The Irish Republic by D. Macardle, page 683, and Ireland in Quotes by Conor O'Clery, page 63). This statement was made on March 25th, 1922 - 48 years before the Arms Trial - what little had changed!
The terrible cost paid in human death and suffering by the people of the North of Ireland must be condemned to the past. This can only happen when we avoid the terrible mistakes of our history. We owe that legacy to our children. - Yours, etc.,
Gerry Jones, Adelaide Road, Glenageary, Co Dublin.
Sir, - So now we know what Des O'Malley meant when he said: "I stand by the Republic." - Yours, etc.,
Joe Kelly, Montpelier Gardens, Dublin 7.
Sir, - Vincent Browne has an uncanny tendency of belligerence about him in the pursuit of a story, which is somewhat to his merit, but of late seems to cause him repeated difficulty with regard to the accuracy and reliability of his journalism.
In his letter (April 19th), responding to a criticism of his handling of the Capt James Kelly interview, he offers a most humble apology for various failures on his part arising from an article accompanying an interview which he had with Capt Kelly (April 14th).
However, this is not the first time that we have seen Vincent Brown utter an apology for his misjudgment and errors. He again found himself clarifying grave omissions on his part (Opinion, April 18th), for earlier misrepresenting a reply which he had received from John Bruton concerning Fine Gael's finances.
Perhaps Mr Browne would invest more time and consideration of the facts before rushing to write an inaccurate article and pay particular attention to the sensitivities of those such as Capt Kelly, who have already suffered a great deal. - Yours, etc.,
Brian Hunt, Ballinagee, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow.