Smithwick Tribunal
Encyclopedia
The Smithwick Tribunal is a judicial inquiry being held in Blackhall Place, Dublin, Ireland
, into the events surrounding the murders of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan
of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC). The men were killed in a Provisional Irish Republican Army
(IRA) ambush near the Irish border at Jonesborough between County Louth
and South Armagh
on March 20 1989 as they returned from a cross-border security conference with senior Garda
officers in Dundalk in an unmarked car .
There have been allegations that the IRA were tipped off about the route the men had planned to take by a member of the Irish Gardaí, informally known as "Garda X".
The tribunal will also consider whether there was a failure to act to prevent the two officers being killed. Smithwick stated that the inquiry would investigate whether there was collusion in the "widest sense of the word". He defined this further: "While it generally means the commission of an act, I am of the view that it should also be considered in terms of an omission or failure to act... I intend to examine whether anybody turned a blind eye to it, or pretended ignorance or unawareness of something one ought morally, legally or officially oppose ."
British Member of Parliament
Jeffrey Donaldson
used his parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons
in 2000 to suggest that Det Sgt Owen Corrigan passed on information to the IRA about the meeting.
Corrigan's barrister denied the allegation at the tribunal: "That statement by Jeffrey Donaldson was a monstrous lie. It was false and my client wishes to establish the falsehood of it ."
The setting up of the Smithwick tribunal was prompted by the Canadian judge Peter Cory, who investigated the murder of the two RUC officers. In his report, published in October 2003, Judge Cory stated it could be said that the IRA did not need information from the Gardaí to carry out the ambush and that intelligence reports received in the aftermath had also pointed to this conclusion. However, Cory referred to two other intelligence reports mentioning a Garda leak and a statement from a British intelligence agent known as Kevin Fulton
who claimed an IRA man told him that the IRA was told about the presence of the RUC officers in Dundalk police station by a member of the Gardaí .
In July 2006, Judge Peter Smithwick stated that he would complete his investigations before public hearings began . On 7 June 2011, public hearings began in Dublin; to be completed by November 2011.. Before the public sessions opened, the tribunal's legal team met with three former senior IRA volunteers, one of whom had a command role in the ambush. Among the witnesses who gave testimony were former and serving Gardai, informants, British agents, and former colleagues of the dead officers, including Breen's staff officer, Sergeant Alan Mains. The Breen and Buchanan families were represented by solicitors John McBurney and Ernie Waterworth, respectively.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, into the events surrounding the murders of Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan
1989 Jonesborough Ambush
The Jonesborough ambush took place on 20 March 1989 near the Irish border outside the village of Jonesborough, County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Two senior Royal Ulster Constabulary officers, Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan, were shot dead in an ambush by the...
of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC). The men were killed in a Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
(IRA) ambush near the Irish border at Jonesborough between County Louth
County Louth
County Louth is a county of Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Louth. Louth County Council is the local authority for the county...
and South Armagh
County Armagh
-History:Ancient Armagh was the territory of the Ulaid before the fourth century AD. It was ruled by the Red Branch, whose capital was Emain Macha near Armagh. The site, and subsequently the city, were named after the goddess Macha...
on March 20 1989 as they returned from a cross-border security conference with senior Garda
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
officers in Dundalk in an unmarked car .
There have been allegations that the IRA were tipped off about the route the men had planned to take by a member of the Irish Gardaí, informally known as "Garda X".
The tribunal will also consider whether there was a failure to act to prevent the two officers being killed. Smithwick stated that the inquiry would investigate whether there was collusion in the "widest sense of the word". He defined this further: "While it generally means the commission of an act, I am of the view that it should also be considered in terms of an omission or failure to act... I intend to examine whether anybody turned a blind eye to it, or pretended ignorance or unawareness of something one ought morally, legally or officially oppose ."
British Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Donaldson
Jeffrey Mark Donaldson, MP is a Northern Irish politician and Member of Parliament for Lagan Valley belonging to the Democratic Unionist Party...
used his parliamentary privilege in the House of Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
in 2000 to suggest that Det Sgt Owen Corrigan passed on information to the IRA about the meeting.
Corrigan's barrister denied the allegation at the tribunal: "That statement by Jeffrey Donaldson was a monstrous lie. It was false and my client wishes to establish the falsehood of it ."
The setting up of the Smithwick tribunal was prompted by the Canadian judge Peter Cory, who investigated the murder of the two RUC officers. In his report, published in October 2003, Judge Cory stated it could be said that the IRA did not need information from the Gardaí to carry out the ambush and that intelligence reports received in the aftermath had also pointed to this conclusion. However, Cory referred to two other intelligence reports mentioning a Garda leak and a statement from a British intelligence agent known as Kevin Fulton
Kevin Fulton
"Kevin Fulton" is the pseudonym of Peter Keeley, a British agent from Newry, Northern Ireland who allegedly spied on the Provisional Irish Republican Army for British Military Intelligence....
who claimed an IRA man told him that the IRA was told about the presence of the RUC officers in Dundalk police station by a member of the Gardaí .
In July 2006, Judge Peter Smithwick stated that he would complete his investigations before public hearings began . On 7 June 2011, public hearings began in Dublin; to be completed by November 2011.. Before the public sessions opened, the tribunal's legal team met with three former senior IRA volunteers, one of whom had a command role in the ambush. Among the witnesses who gave testimony were former and serving Gardai, informants, British agents, and former colleagues of the dead officers, including Breen's staff officer, Sergeant Alan Mains. The Breen and Buchanan families were represented by solicitors John McBurney and Ernie Waterworth, respectively.