Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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31. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he has taken in order to persuade the US authorities to extradite a person (details supplied) to Lebanon to face charges for the murder of soldiers. [20622/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Over the past number of years the Department of Defence, in conjunction with my Department, the Attorney General’s Office and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), have provided every assistance to the US authorities in their investigation in relation to the alleged perpetrator of the attack against the Irish peacekeepers serving with UNIFIL, which took place on 18 April 1980. However, as the Deputy may be aware, Ireland does not have jurisdiction to pursue a prosecution against the alleged perpetrator here. Minister of State Donohoe recently met with representatives of the group, ‘Justice for Smallhorne and Barrett’ and assured them that, notwithstanding the passage of time since this tragic event occurred, the Government will continue to pursue this matter to the extent possible. I can assure the Deputy that both the Department of Defence and my own Department will continue to cooperate with the US authorities in relation to this investigation while the case remains ongoing.