Soldier’s family welcome O’Dea apology
Private Kevin Barrett, 20, from Rathmullen, Co Donegal, was found dead at an Irish army camp in 1999.
Mr O’Dea apologised to Mr Barrett’s mother Helen in a private meeting in Leinster House on Tuesday for the handling of the army investigation and promised an independent inquiry.
Solicitor Kyran McGinley, who was with Mrs Barrett at the meeting, said the family welcomed the apology but wanted a full garda inquiry. However, he acknowledged this could pose difficulties due to the length of time which had elapsed.
“It’s six years after the event and much of the evidence could be lost.”
A spokesman for Mr O’Dea said he had apologised to Ms Barrett for the pain and suffering they had experienced since their son’s tragic death and the shortcomings in the way the family were treated.
Mr Barrett had been drinking with another 34-year-old soldier on the night of his death at a camp in South Lebanon on February 18, 1999, when his rifle was discharged.
Investigations by the UN and the Defence Forces have been held since then.
His family was told his death was accidental but an inquest in Donegal last month ruled out suicide or misadventure and returned an open verdict.
The family continue to have serious misgivings about the circumstances of his death, how the investigation was conducted and the way they were treated in the aftermath. They also claim to have been given false information.
Mr McGinley said the family had been refused any substantial information when they originally questioned the army about their son’s death.
“They still have a lot of unanswered questions.”
The inquest heard the army investigator had asked for the case to be re-opened eight times but had been refused. The scene in the room was not properly preserved, the weapon involved was not ballistically tested and the bullet casing went missing.
The Barrett family were also upset by the bloodied condition in which their son’s body was returned after the postmortem.
Mr O’Dea, at the PDFORRA conference in Athlone, said: “I do recognise the way the family was treated was not perfect, in fact not up to standard and I want to apologise for the shortcomings.”
He said legitimate questions have been raised, but he could not say what those questions were until he received and thoroughly read a transcript of the inquest.
This could take two or three weeks because there was a problem with the stenographer at Donegal Coroners’ Court, he said.
Chief of Staff Lt Gen Jim Sreenan said that looking at the incident and aftermath from some years down the road “you might like that things would have been done better. I am hopeful and confident that things are done better now.”
