Smith repeats call for full investigation into Dublin-Monaghan and Belturbet Bombings

Published on: 02 April 2015


Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan-Monaghan and Party Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Trade Brendan Smith has, once again, called on the British Government to remove all obstacles to full and proper investigations into the bombings and the murder of innocent people in Belturbet in December 1972 and in Monaghan and Dublin in May 1974.

Speaking at a meeting of the Oireachtas All-Party Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, Deputy Smith outlined the need for a full investigation into the bombing in Belturbet on the 28th December 1972.

“Nobody has ever been brought to justice for this atrocity, which resulted in the deaths of Geraldine O’Reilly and Paddy Stanley.  This horrific bombing should be referred to the Historical Investigations Unit which will be established following the signing of the Stormont House Agreement last December”, said Deputy Smith.

The Cavan-Monaghan Deputy also outlined to the Committee the need for the British Government to deal with the motions passed unanimously in Dáil Éireann on two occasions calling on the British Government to give access to an eminent legal person to all papers and files relating to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings of the 17th May 1974 which resulted in the deaths of 33 innocent people.

“Recently both the Fianna Fáil Party Leader, Deputy Micheál Martin and myself met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Teresa Villiers and we raised again with her the need for the British Government to respond positively to the unanimous call of Dáil Éireann for British co-operation in a full and a proper investigation of the Dublin-Monaghan bombings.  The least the victims and the families of all these atrocities deserve is the truth about who carried out these murderous deeds more than 40 years ago.

“Every obstacle must be removed by the British Government to ensure full and proper investigations are undertaken in respect of these bombings and the perpetrators of such crimes need to be brought to justice,” concluded Deputy Smith.

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