Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I thank the Minister for his response. I have a number of detailed questions. Is the Minister satisfied that the official Army version of the Niemba massacre, which shows that nine members of an 11-man Irish patrol died that day, will be upheld by the inquiry? If not, will the Minister explain to the House why the Army's version of events, which has been shown to be wrong in the recent excellent book, The Irish Army in the Congo, 1960-1964: The Far Battalions, by Dr. David O'Donoghue, has been allowed to remain uncorrected for almost half a century? If, as now seems likely, the Army inquiry finds that eight men died at Niemba and that a ninth, Trooper Anthony Browne, died three miles away some days later in another incident, will the Minister correct the statement he made to the House in this regard earlier this year?

Will the Minister also consider reviewing the Army's treatment of the two Niemba survivors, Mr. Tom Kenny and Mr. Joe Fitzpatrick, who claim their good names have been impugned as a result of the Army's incorrect history of the Niemba incident? As regards the broader issue, we need to be very sensitive towards the serving and former members of the Defence Forces and the families of these men.

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