Seán Haughey (Dublin Bay North, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I call on the Minister to confirm that Mac Stíofáin was, in fact, an informer and to declassify all files relating to the information he provided to the Special Branch about the events to which I refer. I appreciate what the Minister said regarding the sensitive nature of these files.

However, it seems that the House was given inaccurate information on 8 May 1970 when it heard a version of events which purported to explain how the State had discovered the then forthcoming arms flight. It was then claimed that the scheduled flight had been discovered by accident by civil servants who were concerned about certain paperwork issues. An incorrect version has remained on the record of the House since. It is not satisfactory that the official record of any event, let alone one as important as this, should be misleading.

Crucially, the Dáil record can only be set straight if the State confirms that the tip-off about the flight came from Seán Mac Stíofáin. I hope the Minister appreciates that the continued concealment of Mac Stíofáin's tales as an informer is tantamount to endorsing and perpetuating his agenda, which was to disrupt and undermine democracy, assist the growth of the Provisional IRA, ensure that this House continued to be deceived and belittling and defaming the memory of Captain James Kelly, an honourable soldier, who should never have been put on trial. The same also applies to the late Colonel Michael Hefferon, who was director of military intelligence at the time.

These files could be looked at, perhaps by a High Court judge. This informer was not serving the State. These files can be redacted. I hope the Minister will confirm the presence of these files because there has been a suggestion that there was a massive burning of these files in the Phoenix Park shortly after the events in question. Will the Minister listen carefully to what I have just requested? If there are files, 50 years later they can now be declassified in order that this saga can be brought to an end. It would also allow various families to get justice at this stage. I am not talking about my family but some of the public servants, particularly the Army officers, involved.

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