Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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130. To ask the Minister for Defence if he will meet the family of a person (details supplied). [12876/14]

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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We have discussed this matter previously, which concerns the circumstances that led to the killing of Private Hugh Doherty and Private Kevin Joyce. Their families have requested a meeting with the Minister and I seek an update in that regard.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The case of the death of Private Doherty, as well as the disappearance of Private Joyce to which the Deputy refers, has already been outlined in my reply to a priority question earlier. As I mentioned to the Deputy in the Dáil last month, I am always willing to meet the families. I received a request to meet with the family and my office has been in touch with them in this regard. However, following my examination of documents received, I required clarity on several issues and have asked the military authorities to have a number of documents reviewed by the Army’s Provost Marshal. Once I receive a report on this, I plan to meet members of Private Doherty’s family, as requested by them, at a mutually convenient time and date.

I took some time to read through the extensive documentation that was furnished to me regarding matters of relevance and in respect of which some concerns have been expressed. When my life in this House calms down slightly, I hope to be able to meet with the families. Having read all the papers about which I raised queries and which I expect to receive responses to in the not-too-distant future, I hope it will prove possible to have a meeting, if not this side of Easter, then shortly after the Easter vacation. I do not know if it will prove possible to do it this side of Easter because of various demands and commitments. I assure the Deputy a meeting will take place all the same.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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I welcome the Minister’s commitment to meet with the family of Private Doherty. One issue of concern and alarm brought to my attention is that, during the original investigation carried out by Colonel Savino at the time, he did not interview any of the team with which the two privates served. Other issues of concern are the isolated nature of the observation post they were holding, as well as the fact bullet cases secured at the scene and ballistic evidence which may have helped identify the group responsible for the attack are now missing. Responsibility for the attack is not clear as it would have been attributed to the PLO, Palestine Liberation Organisation, at the time as the Amal militia would have been more aligned to the UN forces in southern Lebanon. There is also a concern about the fact the force's mobile reserve was withdrawn three days after the incident.

I have met with some of the Defence Forces members who served with the two privates. Would it be possible, because of their expertise in this matter, to have one or two of them present at the meeting along with the family members who acknowledge they would not have the level of expertise of the realities on the ground in southern Lebanon and the specific concerns of the investigation?

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Having read through all the files and papers, there were clearly several issues of relevance to the tragic events that occurred on the day in question. It is also quite clear to me that a report relating to these matters was severely critical of the organisation surrounding two privates being on their own at the location in question. Speaking from memory of the report, there were issues with regard to communications, maintaining response in circumstances where it seemed communications had been lost, as well as a range of other issues. Some issues, as the Deputy knows, have been raised by former members of the Defence Forces who participated in that mission. Unfortunately, from my reading of matters, I do not believe these would contribute in any shape or form to locating the remains of Private Joyce, on the assumption he was killed. They would not add to the overall sum of knowledge ultimately of these events. There was a critical report done of the circumstances surrounding what occurred. It would be my preference to meet with the families to tease out matters with them. Before I do that, I want to get responses to some queries I have raised.

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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For a lay person, as I am in this regard, reviewing matters is important. Some of the former members of the Defence Forces, some of whom I met with the family, have detailed and expert knowledge as they were serving members in the area. The circumstances of the events involved will never leave them and they have followed all of the investigations in great detail. This is not just about recovering the body of Private Joyce it is also about understanding what happened and what lessons are to be learned. The Minister will appreciate that the family has never had closure. I ask him to consider meeting one or two members who served at the time. It could prove to be a constructive meeting. They might, perhaps, provide the Minister with an agenda outlining some of their specific concerns so as to ensure the meeting would be constructive and that he could prepare in advance for it. I am sure they would work with him in that regard. If the meeting is to be productive and successful, he should allow one or, preferably, two of the Defence Force members who served in the area to meet him, with the family and other relevant members of the Defence Forces.

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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It is not necessary to give me a summary of the issues involved because I have read in full the concerns raised, the critique and the questions asked about some individuals not being questioned or given the opportunity to discuss matters. However, having read the report on file, I do not see how, so many years further on, a further discussion would add greater enlightenment to these events, nor would it in any way, from what I can see, facilitate identifying who the perpetrators might have been, whether it be the Palestine Liberation Organisation, Amal or some other group. I am not aware of anything raised that would add greater enlightenment in identifying those involved, nor do I see anything that would any more readily facilitate the finding of the remains of Private Joyce. It would be most unfair of me to give rise to a perception that there was something in all of this; that, having read things in great detail and after so many years, there is something that would resolve this mystery of exactly who was engaged in this event and where Private Joyce's remains were located, other than the conclusions reached in the report on file. However, I am happy to meet the family to discuss its concerns. I am also concerned, in circumstances where this terrible tragedy occurred and where there was the loss of two members of the Defence Forces, that false hope is not given that there is some new information that will provide greater enlightenment than what we now have. Even if some of this information is correct, it is not clear that it will lead us to a helpful conclusion in bringing closure for the families.