18.12.03
BBC NEWS | Northern Ireland | Dublin to publish 'collusion' report
Dublin to publish 'collusion' report
The Irish Government is expected to publish its reports into allegations of collusion between rogue police officers and the IRA.
The findings were made by retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory.
He has examined if public inquiries should be held into eight killings on both sides of the Irish border.
He handed six reports over to the Irish and British governments nine weeks ago.
The Irish Government's reports concern the IRA murders of Lord Justice Gibson and his wife in 1987 and two senior RUC officers, Bob Buchanan and Harry Breen, in 1989.
The British Government has four reports regarding the 1989 murder of solicitor Pat Finucane, the killing of Catholic man Robert Hamill in Portadown in 1997, the murder of Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright in 1997 and the murder of Lurgan solicitor Rosemary Nelson in 1999.
A British Government source told the BBC on Monday it was "unlikely" their reports would be published before Christmas, as it was still considering legal and human rights matters.
It is understood that Judge Cory recommended an inquiry into the murders of Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan.
The two had just returned to Northern Ireland after a meeting with Garda officers in Dundalk, County Louth.
There have always been suspicions that a rogue police officer in the Republic of Ireland may have tipped off the IRA.
It is believed Judge Cory has not recommended an inquiry into the murders of Lord Justice and Lady Gibson.
They were killed just inside Northern Ireland on the main Belfast to Dublin road after returning to Ireland from holiday.
Three years ago, a Garda investigation into both incidents found no evidence to support the allegations of collusion.
On Wednesday night, Garda sources said there was no expectation that any new inquiry would come to a different conclusion.
Judge Cory, who is in Canada, is said to be deeply unhappy at recent developments.
He has received letters from the families of the four victims whose reports are with the British Government and is said to be considering considering writing to them himself to inform them of his decision.
Some of the families are also considering taking legal action in an attempt to force the government to publish the full reports, which were due to be made public at the beginning of this month.
It is understood that Judge Cory has recommended public inquiries into the four murders in Northern Ireland.
Judge Cory was appointed by London and Dublin following the Weston Park political negotiations in 2001.
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein and the SDLP have called on the British Government to publish its Cory findings into the killings of Pat Finucane, Rosemary Nelson, Robert Hamill and Billy Wright.
Dublin to publish 'collusion' report
The Irish Government is expected to publish its reports into allegations of collusion between rogue police officers and the IRA.
The findings were made by retired Canadian Judge Peter Cory.
He has examined if public inquiries should be held into eight killings on both sides of the Irish border.
He handed six reports over to the Irish and British governments nine weeks ago.
The Irish Government's reports concern the IRA murders of Lord Justice Gibson and his wife in 1987 and two senior RUC officers, Bob Buchanan and Harry Breen, in 1989.
The British Government has four reports regarding the 1989 murder of solicitor Pat Finucane, the killing of Catholic man Robert Hamill in Portadown in 1997, the murder of Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright in 1997 and the murder of Lurgan solicitor Rosemary Nelson in 1999.
A British Government source told the BBC on Monday it was "unlikely" their reports would be published before Christmas, as it was still considering legal and human rights matters.
It is understood that Judge Cory recommended an inquiry into the murders of Chief Superintendent Breen and Superintendent Buchanan.
The two had just returned to Northern Ireland after a meeting with Garda officers in Dundalk, County Louth.
There have always been suspicions that a rogue police officer in the Republic of Ireland may have tipped off the IRA.
It is believed Judge Cory has not recommended an inquiry into the murders of Lord Justice and Lady Gibson.
They were killed just inside Northern Ireland on the main Belfast to Dublin road after returning to Ireland from holiday.
Three years ago, a Garda investigation into both incidents found no evidence to support the allegations of collusion.
On Wednesday night, Garda sources said there was no expectation that any new inquiry would come to a different conclusion.
Judge Cory, who is in Canada, is said to be deeply unhappy at recent developments.
He has received letters from the families of the four victims whose reports are with the British Government and is said to be considering considering writing to them himself to inform them of his decision.
Some of the families are also considering taking legal action in an attempt to force the government to publish the full reports, which were due to be made public at the beginning of this month.
It is understood that Judge Cory has recommended public inquiries into the four murders in Northern Ireland.
Judge Cory was appointed by London and Dublin following the Weston Park political negotiations in 2001.
Meanwhile, Sinn Fein and the SDLP have called on the British Government to publish its Cory findings into the killings of Pat Finucane, Rosemary Nelson, Robert Hamill and Billy Wright.
