Results of probe into Pte Seán Rooney's death may be months away

Unifil’s 'administrative' investigation into Private Seán Rooney’s death has concluded. Picture: NW Newspix

It could be months before the results of any investigation into Private Seán Rooney’s death in Lebanon last December are made public.

The Department of Defence has said it is not possible to say whether or not the Defence Forces’ own investigation, for example, will be completed by the end of the year.

Unifil’s internal "administrative" investigation has concluded and its report was submitted to the UN HQ in New York.

A redacted version of it has been handed over to gardaí to assist with their own investigation.

Private Rooney and his colleagues, who were all serving with Unifil, were just four minutes from the main highway into Beirut when their vehicle was fired on in the village of Al-Aqibiya.

They had become separated from colleagues in another vehicle they had been travelling to Beirut with earlier in the evening, and communications between the two vehicles broke down.

Shots were fired into the back of Pte Seán Rooney's vehicle, at least one of which hit him, killing him instantly. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

After ending up down remote country roads, they encountered a large crowd that tried to stop them from passing through Al-Aqibiya.

Pte Rooney managed to steer clear of the group but shots were fired into the back of his vehicle, at least one of which hit him, killing him instantly, and the vehicle crashed into a pylon on its way out of the village.

Trooper Shane Kearney, from Killeagh, Co Cork, sustained a serious head injury when the vehicle crashed but has since been discharged from hospital.

“A Defence Forces multi-disciplinary team [has been] deployed to Lebanon to commence its investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Pte Rooney," said a Department of Defence spokesperson.

“This investigation also remains ongoing and it is not possible at this stage to say when it will be concluded.

Trooper Shane Kearney, from Killeagh, Co Cork, sustained a serious head injury but has since been discharged from hospital.

“Members of An Garda Síochána deployed to Lebanon alongside the Defence Forces multi-disciplinary team in order to offer advice and guidance to the Defence Forces team and to meet their obligations to the State Coroner’s Service in Ireland under the provisions of the Coroner’s Act and the Garda Síochána Act.

“It is expected that AGS will finalise a file for the Coroner’s inquest whenever a date is fixed for this.”