McAnespie report publication
Senators Wilson and Gavan describe the Aidan McAnespie case, the circumstances of his death, and the unpublished Crowley report. They argue the report should be released and receive supportive interjections from Senators Norris, Gavan and others.
Like Senator Gavan, I attended the gathering in the audiovisual room that is still under way. We were obliged to leave it to attend the Order of Business here. A presentation is being made, chaired by Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, on the killing on 21 February 1988 by a British soldier of Aidan McAnespie, a man who for more than seven years had suffered intimidation every time he crossed the Border at Aughnacloy, County Tyrone to visit his relatives in County Monaghan. Five days a week, on his way to work and on the way back, he experienced the intimidation. Any independent analysis of his killing would come to no other conclusion than that it was murder.
Comment on this
He was shot dead by a member of the British army, deliberately. The British Government carried out a so-called investigation into this crime and came up with no conclusive conclusion. The Irish Government commissioned an independent investigation under Assistant Commissioner Crowley into this murder and the conclusions of that report have not been published. This has been highlighted by various members of my party, including most recently by Senator Gallagher, who is a representative from the constituency where some members of the McAnespie family live in County Monaghan. This call has fallen on deaf ears.
Like Senator Gavan, I am not being political. The party I belong to got the investigation carried out. The Taoiseach of the time was Charles J. Haughey, who insisted on this investigation. However, successive Governments have refused to publish the findings of the report. I do not know why or what reason there could be for not publishing it. I appeal to the Leader to use his good offices to ask An Taoiseach to make every effort to get agreement from the Government to have this investigation, carried out by Assistant Commissioner Crowley, published without any further delay. In attendance at the audiovisual room were members of the McAnespie family, including Aidan McAnespie's elderly father. The least he is entitled to before he passes on to his eternal reward is the conclusions of that report, which was carried out by our Government and our authorities.
