Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In response to both Deputies, I will not speculate any further at this stage, given how imminent the trial is. In the course of my meetings with the Minister for National Defence and the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Emigrants of Lebanon when I visited following the killing of Private Seán Rooney, I stressed the need for co-operation and the establishment of all the facts and circumstances of the incident. I stressed that no stone should be left unturned in ensuring those responsible will be brought to justice. I emphasised and underlined during our meetings that the investigation into Private Rooney's death would be as thorough and complete as possible. I am withholding judgment until I have received assurances from the Lebanese authorities but we are monitoring this the whole way. We also have the Garda inquiry, pursuant to the Coroners Act. It is helpful and effective.

I agree that lessons have to be learned in respect of our Defence Forces evaluating what happened. We must constantly seek to learn lessons from terrible atrocities such as this because it was a shocking event that resulted in the loss of a very fine Irish soldier. I have met Seán's mother, Natasha. This is a terrible loss for the entire Rooney family, a family with a very strong military tradition that has contributed immensely to our Defence Forces and Ireland as peacekeepers. It is in honour of the noble tradition that Seán Rooney personified that I want to see justice and a thorough outcome to this.

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