Irish premier welcomes that mother of peacekeeper killed in Lebanon can sue UN
Sean Rooney, 24, from Newtowncunningham in Co Donegal, was killed when a convoy of Irish troops serving with a UN peacekeeping force was ambushed and fired upon on December 14 2022.
The shooting happened near the town of Al-Aqbiya in the south of Lebanon, a stronghold of Hezbollah.
Pte Rooney, from the 121 Infantry Battalion of the Defence Forces, was killed.
On Tuesday, his mother Natasha was granted permission by the High Court in Dublin to sue the UN.
Asked about the granting of permission to sue the UN, the Taoiseach welcomed developments.
'Natasha Rooney has gone through a terrible trauma in respect of the murder of her son Sean and we await the outcome of the trial in Lebanon,' Mr Martin said.
'We have been very unhappy at the pace in which that trial has taken place, it's been slow, and we're looking for full accountability.
'We believe Hezbollah was primarily responsible for the death of Sean, but of course full accountability and full transparency is owed to the Rooney family, so I welcome developments.'
Natasha Rooney said in a statement that she intends to use all legal avenues available to her to hold those responsible for her son's death to account.
'Sean's case has never been about compensation or money – it is about the truth and accountability,' she said.
'Sean was failed by those who should have protected him. Despite numerous requests, I have still not been provided with the very basic documents from the United Nations from their investigations.
'I intend on using every court procedure available to me to ensure that the truth is told about Sean's death, and that those who failed him are held accountable for their actions and omissions.'
Solicitor for Ms Rooney Darragh Mackin said: 'Our client has been failed time and time again by the very institutions that ought to have protected her son.
'We make no apologies for pursuing every available legal avenue to seek the truth and justice for Private Sean Rooney.'
Pte Rooney's family has pressed the UN to make crucial reports linked to the soldier's death available to his inquest, being conducted by the Dublin District Senior Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane.
The court heard that the UN had carried out reports which had not yet been made available to the inquest. These include an investigation carried out on the ground as well as a subsequent UN board of inquiry report.
The hearing was told there had also been a report 10 months prior to the incident that raised concerns about the integrity of the UN vehicles involved.
However, they were originally told there were issues around disclosing these reports.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BreakingNews.ie
3 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Teenager seriously injured in Co Kerry road crash
A teenager has been seriously injured following a road crash in Co Kerry. Gardaí said one vehicle was involved in the incident on the L1029 road at Deerpark, Lixnaw, on Saturday evening. Advertisement Emergency services attended the scene at approximately 5.40pm. A garda spokesperson said: 'The driver, an adult male aged in his late teens, and sole occupant of the car was airlifted to Cork University Hospital where he is being treated for serious injuries. 'Garda forensic collision investigators carried out an examination of the scene and the road has now been reopened. 'Gardai are appealing for witnesses to this incident to come forward. Advertisement 'Any road users who may have dash-cam and were travelling in the area between 5.15pm and 5.45pm are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai.'
Telegraph
5 hours ago
- Telegraph
There can be no peace until the murderous, thieving overlords of Hamas are driven from Gaza
Despite calls from the Arab League to disarm, Hamas says it refuses to do so until an independent Palestinian state is established. By that the terrorist group means it will never disarm, because it knows that no Palestinian state will ever be established. Certainly not the state they envisage, which is a far cry from the two-state solution that Starmer, Macron and Carney seem to have in mind. Hamas want a one-state solution, an Islamic State encompassing the entirety of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. Hence their slogan 'from the river to the sea', mouthed incessantly on university campuses and the streets of our cities by uncomprehending hordes. Hamas's founding charter demands the annihilation of Israel and the death of Jews everywhere. Despite a cosmetic 'revision' and English language statements made to fool Westerners, this has never been repudiated and remains their unwavering goal. The leadership of Hamas are vicious, bloodthirsty terrorists, many of them multi millionaires enriched by decades stealing aid meant for the people of Gaza. But they are far from being fools. They understand that Israel will never surrender to them and they will never have the military power to drive the Israelis out. Their best shot was 7th October 2023, which was supposed to be supported by an invasion by Hezbollah from the north and backed by rocket fire from Iran's other 'ring of fire' terrorist proxies. They murdered, raped, tortured, kidnapped and burned but failed to achieve what they intended. Instead their actions drove Gaza to ruin and decimated their own fighting strength. But they will fight on fanatically for as long as they are physically able to do so. Hamas is a miniature version of Al Qaida. Like Hamas, Bin Laden sought an Islamic caliphate, but on a global scale. And like Hamas, he didn't expect to achieve it in his life-time or even for generations. He saw his role as killing, destruction and economic damage. The purpose was to demoralise the West and 'apostate' Muslim regimes, creating strife and division around the world until eventually the caliphate would be established. Hamas and Iran's other regional proxies have a similar intent, though the ayatollahs in Tehran sought to speed things up by developing nuclear weapons. Although their tactics and public-facing rhetoric are different, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party have pretty much the same objective as Hamas. That's why the US State Department recently sanctioned them for funding and supporting terrorism and inculcating violent jihad into their population. Israel has no choice but to continue to suppress terrorism in the West Bank, in which Hamas is also heavily involved, to prevent the territory going the way of Gaza. Likewise in Gaza itself there is no political solution; Hamas can be dealt with only by military destruction. That means continuing the war until they are no longer a threat. That might include fostering internal military opposition, which is being tried, and forcing the leadership out of Gaza to a country willing to take them, which is also being planned. Starmer, Macron and Carney's demands that Israel ends the war on pain of recognition of a Palestinian state means the fighting is likely to go on longer. Not only do these politicians encourage and empower Hamas for the immediate fight, they also validate their terrorist tactics. Unfortunately the leaders of Britain, France and Germany are not breaking new ground in their miscalculations. For decades, in the face of violence against Israel, the first resort of the professional peace processors, politicians, diplomats and UN officials has been to appease the aggressors and attack and vilify Israel, demanding concessions while never demanding anything of their enemies. At the same time they have perverted international law to paint Israel as the oppressors and those who oppose them as the victims. That has led to Hamas intensifying and developing their human shield tactics knowing Israel will be branded baby-killers. That is also why Hamas, in cahoots with the UN, have weaponised hunger in Gaza leading to a successful propaganda campaign falsely accusing Israel of yet more war crimes. This, often disgracefully utilising photographs of young children suffering from unrelated genetic medical conditions to falsely show starvation, is among the most powerful levers applied to push Keir Starmer into his recent actions against Israel. After visiting Gaza, US Special Envoy to the Middle East Steve Witkoff confirmed yesterday that 'There is hardship and shortage, but no starvation'. The shameful truth is that Starmer, Macron and Carney do have sufficient insight into the same reality as Witkoff, but lack the moral courage to stand up against the hurricane of lies about starvation, unlawful killing and the other trumped up charges against Israel. In each case their priority is to appease the anti-Israel mobs among their own electorates. Their eyes are not on aiding an ally under pressure or the dire consequences at home of encouraging jihadism abroad, but on the ballot boxes.
The Independent
6 hours ago
- The Independent
BBC faces criticism over delay in paying court-ordered damages to Gerry Adams
The BBC has been criticised for not yet having paid court-ordered damages to former Sinn Fein president Gerry Adams. The corporation lost a major defamation case earlier this year after Mr Adams took them to court over a 2016 episode of its Spotlight programme and an accompanying online story. They contained an allegation that Mr Adams sanctioned the killing of former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson. Mr Adams denied any involvement. In May, a jury at the High Court in Dublin found in his favour and awarded him 100,000 euros (£84,000) after determining that was the meaning of words included in the programme and article. The BBC, which was found by the jury not to have acted in good faith nor in a fair and reasonable way, was also ordered to pay the former Sinn Fein leader's legal costs. Adam Smyth, director of BBC NI, expressed disappointment in the verdict and said the corporation believes it supplied extensive evidence to the court of the careful editorial process and journalistic diligence applied to the programme and accompanying online article. After the decision, the broadcaster's legal team was granted a stay in the payment of the full award as it took time to consider an appeal, subject to paying half the damages (50,000 euros or £42,000) and 250,000 euros (£210,000) towards solicitors' fees. In June, the BBC confirmed it would not pursue an appeal. However, it is understood that by August 1 the BBC had not paid the damages. Mr Adams previously indicated that he planned to donate what he receives to good causes. He specified that these would include for children in Gaza as well as groups in the Irish language sector and those who are homeless. A source close to Mr Adams told the PA news agency: 'The delay by the BBC is deplorable and it should move speedily towards discharging the order of the court.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'Total costs will be finalised and payable in due course.'
