Unity Fails To Halt Smithwick 'Guillotine'

A probe into possible Irish police collusion in the IRA murders of two senior RUC officers is to be cut-short, despite protests from a range of representatives across the political divide.

Fianna Fáil, Sinn Fein and a number of Irish independents opposed a Dáil motion changing the terms of reference of the Smithwick Inquiry chaired by a former district court president Judge Peter Smithwick - but it was passed by 105 votes to 35.

The tribunal is investigating suggestions of collusion by Gardaí in the murders of Chief Supt Harry Breen and Supt Bob Buchanan in March 1989.

Now, after the Dáil changed its terms of reference, the probe must now furnish details of its workings by the end of June and have its completed report ready by November 30th.

The inquiry was established in 2005 to investigate suggestions of collusion in the killing of the two senior RUC men, but the Minister for Justice Alan Shatter, who introduced the motion yesterday in the Dáil, said the tribunal "has sat in private for six years and has not yet held a substantive oral hearing".

He then rejected Opposition claims that he wanted to curtail the tribunal's work but said the motion "is about ensuring that this tribunal is meeting its obligations".

In NI, the Lagan Valley MP, Jeffrey Donaldson expressed disappointment that the Irish Parliament backed the motion put forward which will require the Smithwick Tribunal to complete its work by the end of November.

The DUP politician also indicated that he would be speaking with Judge Smithwick regarding the proposed deadline put forward for November.

"This is a disappointing decision by the Irish Parliament and it stands in stark contrast to the demands which regularly emanated from Dublin for open ended inquiries into events which occurred in the United Kingdom.

"Some of these inquiries operated for over a decade and the most recent report to be published into a single murder in Northern Ireland cost the public purse over £46m.

"This compares to around £7m which has been spent to date by the Smithwick Tribunal," he said.

"Finding the truth of how Chief Supt Breen and Supt Buchanan met their death is the objective of this tribunal and it is vitally important that it is allowed to complete the work it has begin without pressure or influence being brought to bear which might compromise it.

"Whilst there are no issues with asking for an interim report on the progress made there appears to be little rational reason for a guillotine hanging over the Tribunal in November," he said, yesterday.

"If there are grounds to believe that the Tribunal will not be able to complete all the necessary work by November then we will be insisting that the Irish Government provide the time and resources which are necessary."

Sinn Fein Support

Speaking in favour of a Dáil amendment to the motion amending the terms of reference of the Smithwick Tribunal of inquiry, Sinn Fein Justice Spokesperson Jonathan O'Brien said the party fully supported all families seeking answers about the deaths of their loved ones in the conflict in Ireland.

He said Sinn Fein opposed the government motion, which seeks to force the Smithwick Tribunal to submit a final report by a fixed date.

Mr O'Brien referred to Sinn Fein's support for inquiries into allegations of collusion, including the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday, the Ballymurphy and Springhill massacres, the Rosemary Nelson Inquiry and for the campaign by the family of murdered solicitor, Pat Finucane.

The Cork North Central TD said the Dáil Government's decision to seek an interim report from the Smithwick Tribunal by 30 June and a final report by 30 November of this year is "a mistake which will feed the conspiracy theorists that the Government and the Gardaí have something to hide."

"Arguments over costs sound petty and irresponsible when set against the desire of two families to know how their loved ones died," he concluded.

(BMcC/GK)