Dónal de Róiste receives Government apology, 53 years after dismissal from Defence Forces
Dónal de Róiste. File Picture: Courtpix
Dónal de Róiste, who was forced to retire from the Defence Forces more than 50 years ago, has been fully exonerated from any wrongdoing by the Government which has agreed to apologise and to pay him compensation.
The decision comes after the Cabinet approved the findings of a review into his case which began more than two years ago.
Mr de Róiste’s retirement was “made on foot of a fundamentally flawed and unfair process and was not in accordance with law”, the Government said.
Commenting on the case and the decision, Defence Minister Simon Coveney said the security situation in Ireland in 1969 was far different than what it is today.
However, whilst a decision to retire Mr de Róiste from the Defence Forces in these circumstances, and on the basis of the documentation considered at the time, was found by the reviewer to be reasonable, the review has determined that no national security concerns should have prevented Mr de Róiste from being afforded the most basic procedures of natural justice and the right to defend himself and his good name, Mr Coveney said.
“In this regard, the review has concluded that Mr de Róiste’s dismissal was not in accordance with law,” he said as he apologised to Mr de Róiste.
In the same statement, Mr de Róiste said he was happy to see his good name restored.
“I want to thank my family, friends and my legal team, Eamonn Carroll solicitor and Gerard Humphreys barrister and Don Mullan who never gave up, who always believed in my innocence and who supported me for many years. I had never dared to hope that this day would ever come and now that it has, I feel a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Sincerest gratitude to our President, Michael D Higgins, who believed me when others didn’t and for his help with calling for the establishing of this review.”
Mr de Róiste’s family welcomed the findings and spoke of their profound gratitude for the apology.
“All our family has ever wanted was for Dónal’s good name and character, and the good name of our family, to be restored. As the review report has found, our brother was denied a fair process in 1969, there was no charge, no trial, no conviction and for 53 years we have fought for justice to be done. Our parents, and our mother Christine in particular, fought tirelessly over many years for Dónal’s innocence to be declared,” they said.
The well-known campaigner and Mr de Róiste’s sister, Adi Roche said that the life of her brother had been shattered by a wrongful decision made by the government in 1969.
“Our family were left with years of pain and incomprehension by that decision; that took away his integrity, his good character, his good name, and that of our family. We have suffered over all these years without any redress of justice until now,” she said.
Mr de Róiste has always denied any wrongdoing and has campaigned for decades.
