asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he is aware that 17 families at Kiltyclogher, County Leitrim, whose homes were seriously damaged by explosions set off by the British Army at a bridge on the border near their homes on 13 September 1976 have, through no fault of their own, not received any compensation for this damage; and the action he proposes to take to have them fully compensated for damage caused by the forces of another Government.

My Department have been in frequent touch with the British authorities to try to resolve this long standing problem of compensation claims. Arising out of the latest of such contacts I understand that the British authorities will shortly be approaching the legal representatives of the Kiltyclogher claimants to discuss with them the settlement of these claims.

Can the Minister give the House any information of what he might be doing in this regard?

What my Department and I have been doing is that we have reached the position that in the very near future the British authorities will approach the claimants to make an offer to them.

May I take it that the Minister supports the claim of the residents whose homes were seriously damaged by explosions caused by the British?

Of course. Otherwise we would not have made representations on their behalf.

May I take it that the Minister fully supports them in their demands for compensation?

I have said we have been making representations on their behalf for a number of years.

In the event of the British authorities not paying such compensation, does the Minister consider that the Irish Government should do so?

The point is that as a result of representations, particularly the most recent ones, the British Government are going to pay compensation.