Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

People will have been shocked yesterday by the brutal execution of Denis Donaldson in a remote part of County Donegal. The execution bore the hallmarks of the execution of Eamon Collins outside Newry in 1999. Whatever about the past associations in this case, the murder must be condemned out of hand as being a cold, callous and vicious murder. Given that the murder occurred within the Republic, it falls to the Garda to investigate it exclusively. Its responsibility is to bring to justice those responsible for making the decision to carry out the murder.

Given that the investigation is at a very early stage, will the Taoiseach reflect on the following matters? Was the Garda aware that the late Denis Donaldson was living in this part of Donegal? In light of the recent revelations about his past in which he said he was recruited as a British agent because of being compromised at a time when he was vulnerable in his life, was this information communicated to the Government? Was there any request for or contact about protection to be provided by the Garda to Mr. Donaldson? Did this matter surface in respect of the briefings given to the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform about Northern Ireland issues? Was the Garda aware from its intelligence resources and from the PSNI that Denis Donaldson was a marked man, that his life was under threat and, if so, was the matter discussed?

Has the Taoiseach reflected on the fact that, because of the activities of the police forces, North and South, in attempting to deal with organised criminality, especially in respect of some of the actions taken against some cross-Border personnel, it might have been an attempt by that wing of the movement to exert its authority within the organisation? Having said that, does the Taoiseach consider the murder will have any serious implications for the meeting he is having tomorrow with the British Prime Minister?

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