'No stone will be left unturned' in fight to bring Pte Seán Rooney’s killer to justice
Irish Defence and Foreign Affairs Minister Micheal Martin (3rd R) poses for a picture as he visits the Irish UNIFIL battalion in Tibnin, southern Lebanon, on January 26, 2023. - Lebanon has charged seven people for participating in an attack against United Nations peacekeepers that killed one Irish soldier in mid-December, a judicial official told AFP. Private Sean Rooney, 23, was killed and three others were injured on December 14 when their UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicle was attacked near the village of Al-Aqbiya in the south of the Mediterranean country, a stronghold of the powerful Iran-backed Shiite group Hezbollah. (Photo by Mahmoud ZAYYAT / AFP) (Photo by MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Micheál Martin has vowed that “no stone will be left unturned” in the fight to bring Private Seán Rooney’s killer to justice.
Addressing the 24-year-old’s colleagues at their Unifil base in southern Lebanon, he said Pte Rooney's death last December was “a shocking reminder” of the risks taken by Irish peacekeepers.
Mr Martin on Thursday laid a wreath at a memorial to fallen Irish peacekeepers in the southern Lebanon town of Tibnine where Irish UN peacekeepers used to be based.
Before he left the so-called Camp Shamrock, Mr Martin also promised to make sure recommendations from the Women Of Honour probe “are fulfilled”.
The Government is "absolutely determined" that all of the facts surrounding Pte Rooney's death are fully established, Mr Martin said, and "that no stone will be left unturned to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.”
He planned to press the need for the Lebanese investigation to be as "thorough and complete" as possible with meetings with both the Lebanese Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Defence.
Before addressing the troops, the Tánaiste ate lunch with soldiers at the UNP 2-45 UNIFIL camp.
“Private Rooney’s death was a shocking reminder to all of Ireland of the risks taken by each and every one of you,” he said.
“I’m conscious that all of you have lost a comrade and a friend.
“It is to your immense credit that, notwithstanding your personal loss, you have continued to perform with the professionalism we have come to expect from our Defence Forces.
On the Women of Honour scoping inquiry, he vowed to make changes, once he sees the recommendations of the report reviewing the systems, structures, and culture in the Defence Forces, which is due in the coming weeks.
Allegations of sexism, bullying, sexual assault, and rape were raised by members of the Women of Honour group of serving and ex-serving women featured in an RTÉ documentary last year.
In January 2022 the government set up an independent review group.
However, the Women of Honour group has long maintained the entire issue needs to be the subject of a statutory inquiry instead of what they have previously dubbed “a weak administrative review”.
Mr Martin said he was not going to pre-empt the findings of the report.
“But suffice to say that I intend to make sure that its recommendations are fulfilled, that we will do everything we possibly can to continue to change culture and behaviour and make sure that a life and a career in our Defence Forces is as a safe, progressive and enjoyable one.”
Mr Martin started his trip to Lebanon with a meeting with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
He then laid a wreath at a memorial for Irish Defence Forces soldiers who have died serving in Lebanon. Wreaths were also laid in memory of soldiers who have died previously.
Mr Martin was flanked by the Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy, and Mayor of Tebnine Nabil Fawaz.
When Mr Martin was last in Lebanon, he laid a wreath for soldiers who had died on service, including Private Billy Kedian, who died aged 21 in 1999. The ceremony on Thursday morning, which lasted about 15 minutes, was officiated by Fr Declan Shanahan.
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