New tribunal to examine RUC deaths
Wednesday, 23 March 2005 22:41
A tribunal of inquiry is to be set up into the killing of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and RUC Superintendent Robert Buchanan 16 years ago.
The motion to establish the tribunal was brought before the Dáil by the Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, this morning. The President of the District Court, Judge Peter Smithwick, is to be appointed to chair the inquiry.
The two senior officers were shot dead in March 1989 at an IRA checkpoint near Jonesborough in Co Armagh, as they returned from a security meeting with gardaí in Dundalk, Co Louth.
Canadian Judge Peter Cory, who was appointed to investigate allegations of collusion between Irish and British security forces and paramilitaries in Northern Ireland, recommended that an inquiry be held into the deaths of the two men.
The Minister for Justice 'challenged' Sinn Féin and members of the IRA to co-operate with the tribunal. He said neither group could clamour for justice and truth in other cases and not co-operate with this one.
He added that those contributing to the tribunal will be in the unique position to give evidence without the fear of incrimination.
