Oireachtas

Government asks British for report on Hamill murder

The Government has requested an urgent report from the British authorities following the latest developments in the investigation…

By MICHAEL O'REGAN and CHRISTINE NEWMAN
Fri Oct 08 1999 - 01:00

The Government has requested an urgent report from the British authorities following the latest developments in the investigation into the murder of Mr Robert Hamill in Portadown, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews said.

The request comes after a decision last week not to proceed with any prosecutions of RUC officers in relation to the murder.

The Minister said the Government also maintained close contact with the British authorities about the investigation into the killing of Ms Rosemary Nelson.

The two murder investigations are believed to be on the agenda when the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the British Prime Minister, Mr Blair, meet at the EU summit in Tampere in Finland this weekend.

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In a written reply to Ms Cecilia Keaveney (FF) Donegal South West, the Minister said Mr Hamill was murdered on April 27th, 1997. Of the six people originally charged in 1997, one was convicted on March 25th, 1999 of causing an affray on the night.

The Independent Commission for Police Complaints supervised the RUC investigations into the actions of the RUC officers present on the night and the file was referred to the DPP.

A decision not to proceed with any prosecutions of RUC officers involved in the case was made on September 30th, 1999. An internal RUC disciplinary action against the officers was now being considered, the Minister said.

"Following the decision on September 30th . . . we have conveyed to the British authorities, through the framework of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, the widespread and deep concern that exists about this case, which is fully shared by the Government, and an urgent report on the matter has been requested," he stated.

In the light of this report, the Minister said he would consider what appropriate action to take.

Mr Andrews said that since the cold-blooded killing of Ms Rosemary Nelson in March this year, the Government had impressed on the British government that the investigation into her murder must be, and be seen to be, thorough, transparent and independent.

"The Government is keenly aware of the concerns which have been voiced in the nationalist community and on the part of human rights groups, both in Ireland and internationally, about the role of the RUC in that investigation," he said.