A retired soldier who expressed concerns about how the Army responded to incidents in Lebanon in 1981 involving the death of an Irish soldier and the disappearance of a second, Kevin Joyce, has settled his High Court action for damages for post-traumatic stress against the Minister for Defence and the State.
Barry Reilly had found the body of a missing colleague, Hugh Doherty, during a search of a wadi - a dry riverbed that contains water only during times of heavy rain - in Lebanon, and assisted in dangerous searches for Joyce.
It was claimed he made a statement about the discovery of Doherty's body but the statement later went missing.
Mr Reilly claimed he was severely traumatised by those incidents and by another incident in Lebanon on January 10th, 1987, when a friend of his, Cpl Dermot McLoughlin, was killed when he was hit by Israeli tank rounds. Mr Reilly had stayed with Cpl McLoughlin as he died.
He claimed he received no counselling relating to any of the incidents. It was claimed Mr Reilly still visualises finding Doherty's body and experiences ongoing and permanent flashbacks of the incidents.
The Ministers for Defence and Finance and the State denied all the claims.
The case was listed for hearing yesterday but Mr Justice Vivian Lavan was told it had been settled. Under the settlement, it is understood that Mr Reilly, a father of three, of Emlough, Cleggan, Co Galway, will receive a substantial sum and his costs.
He was accompanied in court by some friends who also served with him in Lebanon.
Mr Reilly, who joined the Army in 1978 and retired last year, had claimed damages for severe personal injury and post- traumatic stress disorder arising from his experiences while serving with the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon.
He claimed he underwent a series of traumatic experiences which caused him severe personal injury, loss and damage.
Mr Reilly further claimed this was a result of alleged negligence, breach of duty and breach of contract of the defendants.
