Independent review into soldiers’ deaths in Lebanon

A former High Court judge is to conduct a fresh inquiry into the death of a soldier and the disappearance of a colleague in Lebanon in 1981.

Mr Justice Roderick Murphy has been tasked by Defence Minister Simon Coveney to carry out an independent review of the investigation into the death of Private Hugh Doherty and the disappearance of Private Kevin Joyce.

Mr Coveney said the inquiry would encompass both a review of all relevant documents and interviews with such persons as considered appropriate. He said Mr Murphy would report back to him before April 30.

Private Doherty and Private Joyce were serving as members of the Irish Battalion and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon at the time of the incident. On April 27, 1981, an observation post at Dayr Ntar manned by the two men came under attack. Private Doherty was later found dead from gunshot wounds and Private Joyce was missing.

The UN completed a Board of Inquiry into the incident in November 1981. The Irish military authorities considered that the UN report was inadequate and a further probe was conducted by the then director of operations, Col V Savino and reported in August 1982.

In a detailed statement in the Dáil last March, then Defence Minister Shatter said the 88th Infantry Battalion conducted another investigation in November 2000.

He said various leads were followed on the ground and representations made to the Palestinian Authority.

Mr Shatter said the Fatah group claimed it had information on the whereabouts of Private Joyce’s body, but “unfortunately, the information did not materialise”.