A local TD has made further calls on the British government to co-operate in investigations into Belturbet, Monaghan and Dublin bombings.
Cavan/Monaghan Fianna Fáil TD Brendan Smith has again raised the need for the British government and Northern Ireland Authorities to co-operate fully into the investigations concerning the fatal bombings in Belturbet in December 1972 and in Monaghan and Dublin in May 1974. On 28 December last in Belturbet, County Cavan, the 50th anniversary of the bombing in the town that caused the death of two young teenagers, Geraldine O'Reilly and Patrick Stanley.
Next May will mark the 50th anniversary of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, when 33 innocent people were murdered and hundreds were badly injured on that fatal day. The local TD said that day, 17 May 1974, was the darkest day of all during the era known as the Troubles.
Deputy Smith added that it was "simply unacceptable" that the British Government had not responded to the "legitimate and unanimous" request of the Oireachtas for an independent international legal expert to be given access to all of the papers and files pertaining to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. The Cavan Monaghan TD says we all know the chances of getting prosecutions are extremely limited but the least the families deserve is the truth about who carried out those atrocities.
