Eldon defends British stance on 1974 bombings inquiry

The British Ambassador to Ireland has defended his country's level of co-operation with the Irish Government's attempts to determine the truth about the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.

Thirty-three people were killed when loyalist paramilitaries detonated three car bombs in Dublin and one in Monaghan on May 17, 1974, the worst single loss of life on any day of the Troubles.

Nobody has ever been brought to justice and there have long been claims that the British security services helped the men who carried out the attacks.

The Barron inquiry set up by the Irish Government to investigate the atrocities has repeatedly accused Britain of frustrating its work by failing to hand over relevant documents.

The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, has also been highly critical of the British attitude towards the inquiry.

However, Ambassador Stuart Eldon has insisted that Britain is not engaging in a cover-up.

"One does have to be very cognisant, in conducting inquiries into this sort of area, of the legitimate requirements of national security," he said yesterday.

"That's not a cover-up. That is partly to protect the lives of people who were involved at the time, who could conceivably be endangered if full details of what went on were to come out."