Tánaiste says government committed to finding 'truth and justice' for Dublin-Monaghan bombings
Simon Harris was speaking yesterday on the 51st anniversary of the bombings, which occurred on May 17, 1974, claiming the lives of 34 people.
In Dublin, 27 people — including a mother and her unborn baby — were killed when three car bombs exploded in the city centre, while seven people died from a car bomb in Monaghan town.
No warnings were given ahead of the explosions — for which the Ulster Volunteer Force claimed responsibility — and no one has been charged in connection with the tragedy. 'Questions that remain unanswered'
Mr Harris described the attacks as 'a most horrific act of violence' but expressed his hope that the forthcoming Denton Review into the so-called Glenanne Gang would shed light on the case.
"It is with great sadness that we remember the lives of the 34 people, including an unborn baby, who were taken from us on that summer afternoon," he said.
"Five decades on, I am conscious that time can never truly erase the pain of their absence. My thoughts are with their families on this difficult day.
"We remember also, the hundreds injured in the brutal attacks and all those who were left behind to face the significant challenges of lives forever changed.
"Today is an opportunity to remind ourselves of the questions that remain unanswered. It remains deeply regrettable that no person has been held responsible for the attacks to date.
"The publication of the Operation Denton report is expected in the coming months. It is my sincere hope that these findings will shed new light on the terrible events of May 17, 1974.
"This government remains committed to finding truth and justice.
"I have raised the case of the Dublin Monaghan bombings with the British Government — highlighting the successive Motions passed in the Dáil with the unanimous support of all political parties.
"I am committed to taking this forward in a bid to get long-awaited answers." 'Callous attacks'
Meanwhile, Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, called on the British Government to fully cooperate with the ongoing investigations into the bombings, which he described as 'a devastating series of coordinated explosions'.
"The Government will not forget our duty to the victims and survivors, and we will persevere in our efforts to seek out the truth behind the tragic events of May 17, 1974 and, hopefully, secure some measure of comfort for those effected by these callous attacks," he said.
"We have worked consistently to implement the all-party motions which call on the British Government to allow access to all relevant documents relating to the Dublin-Monaghan bombings and I specifically raised this issue with the British Government at the recent meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference at Hillsborough Castle.
"The investigation into the bombings remains an open case in this jurisdiction. Any new evidence that comes to light will be fully investigated by An Garda Síochána.
"The Government is committed to working with victims' groups and our Northern Ireland and British counterparts to develop fit-for-purpose mechanisms to meet the needs and expectations of all those impacted by those dark days, including the victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings.
"We will play our full part in legacy processes including addressing the legacy of the conflict in this jurisdiction."
The three bombs in Dublin exploded within minutes of each other during evening rush hour in Parnell Street, Talbot Street and South Leinster Street.
Meanwhile the Monaghan bomb went off in North Street around 90 minutes later, just before 7pm.
Many of the victims of the bombings were young women, including 20-year-old Colette Doherty, who was nine months pregnant and whose unborn child was later recorded as the 34th victim of the atrocity.
Four members of the same young family also died in the bombs: John O'Brien, 24, his 22-year-old wife Anna and their children Jacqueline (17 months) and Anne-Marie (five months).
The Dublin victims included Antonio Magliocco, 37, originally from Italy and 30-year-old Simone Chetrit, a French woman visiting the capital.
The oldest victim was 80-year-old John Dargle, who was killed in the second Dublin bomb.
See More: Dublin Monaghan Bombings
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Post
6 hours ago
- Irish Post
Ireland welcomes confirmation of all-inclusive 15 per cent tariff in EU-US joint statement
A 15 PER CENT tariff on EU goods being imported into the US will apply to all sectors it was confirmed in a statement issued today. The EU-US Joint Statement on Trade, released this morning, confirms a 15 per cent tariff ceiling on EU goods exports to the US inclusive of existing US Most Favoured Nation tariffs, except where these are already higher. Tánaiste Simon Harris has welcomed the clarification provided in the statement, which he claims provides a 'first step' to further negotiations. 'We note the Joint Statement is now published following weeks of negotiation,' Mr Harris said today. 'We welcome clarity that the deal includes a single, all-inclusive 15% tariff on EU goods. 'We also now have assurance that this rate will extend to pharmaceuticals and semiconductors,' he added. 'This provides an important shield to Irish exporters that could have been subject to much larger tariffs pending the outcomes of Section 232 US investigations into these sectors.' Today's joint statement also includes 'zero for zero' tariff rate carve outs for aircraft and aircraft parts and 'leaves the door open for negotiation of further tariff reductions in the future on products of strategic common interest' Mr Harris's office explained. 'As the Statement makes clear, this is a framework agreement which gives us a first step to negotiate a more comprehensive and formal agreement with the US in the future,' the Tánaiste said. 'Our intention now is to see what other carve outs can be made in areas of interest for Irish exporters.' The Joint Statement also commits to future work in areas such as mutual recognition agreements on standards and conformity assessments, overcapacity in the steel and aluminium sector, and cooperation on critical raw materials. 'While the deal finally provides certainty, we also are acutely aware of the impact of higher tariffs and the existing difficulties that many Irish exporters have already faced this year,' Mr Harris said. 'In that regard, we also must continue to control what we can control and continue to make our country, and our European Union, as competitive as possible, as good a location as possible to invest in and create jobs. 'We must also look for other opportunities to diversify markets for Irish business. While we want to continue to do business with the US and indeed want to grow business. It is important that we take every opportunity to identify new markets." Next Monday, August 25, the Irish Government is due to publish its new Market Diversification Action Plan. Speaking after today's statement was issued, EU Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič said the statement "carries considerable weight and is truly impactful at a time when the trade landscape has completely changed". "Our transatlantic relationship is one of the largest economic partnerships in the world," he explained. "And this agreement has a clear, common goal – to put it on solid ground and help drive reindustrialisation on both sides of the Atlantic. We want to fully unleash the potential of our combined economic power. "But this is not the end. It is the beginning. This framework is a first step – one that can grow over time to cover more sectors, improve market access, and strengthen our economic ties even further." He added: "A 15% all-inclusive tariff cap for the EU: this is the most favourable trade deal the US has extended to any partner. "A wide range of sectors – including strategic industries, such as cars, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and lumber – will benefit from this cap." See More: EU, Ireland, Joint Statement, Tariffs, Tánaiste Simon Harris, US
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Haunting moment Iran hangs murderer from crane in front of ghoulish crowd including kids in latest grim public execution
It comes amid a surge in public executions and sham trials REGIME OF DEATH Haunting moment Iran hangs murderer from crane in front of ghoulish crowd including kids in latest grim public execution THIS is the chilling moment Iran's tyrants hang a murderer from a crane in front of a grim, cheering crowd of locals and children. Sajad Molayi Hakani was killed in the city of Kordkuy, Golestan after being found guilty of robbery and murdering a mum and her three kids in October. 3 This is the haunting moment a man is hanged in front of a cheering crowd 3 He is seen attached to a crane by a noose around his neck Advertisement 3 Crowds of locals and children gathered to watch the horrific event unfold He was sentenced to qisas, which means retaliation in kind in Islamic law, with his wife also due to be executed in prison at a later date. Haunting footage shows the man standing on a platform with a noose around his neck as crowds gather to watch the horrific event. The rope is attached to the crane, which appears to be controlled by a member of the execution team. Advertisement It comes as rattled supreme leader Ali Khamenei ordered a surge in executions - turning hangings into public spectacles in a chilling warning to dissidents. Read more on World SEA OF STEEL Iran helicopter faces off with US warship in Gulf in pathetic show of force Iran has repeatedly unleashed lethal force on its own people - especially at times of crisis - in a sickening bid to stamp out rebellion. Executions and arrests are weaponised to scare dissidents, and it is feared panicked Ayatollah Khamenei is planning a similar plot to the 1988 massacre of 30,000 political prisoners. The regime was also in turmoil that year after accepting a ceasefire with Iraq. Advertisement Chillingly, state-run Fars News Agency - a mouthpiece of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps - last month issued a public call to repeat 1998's inhumane massacre as the regime fears for its survival. British politicians and leading human rights lawyers have urged the UK government to intervene to prevent such an atrocity. Alongside the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), they also criticised the focus on Tehran's nuclear programme, warning that it has overshadowed the worsening human rights crisis. Iran Executes Nuclear Scientist Accused of Spying for Mossad Amid Escalating Espionage Crackdown Baroness O'Loan DBE said: "Those threatening our national security are the same individuals planning atrocities in Iran's prisons. So, we must act, now." Dowlat Nowrouzi, the NCRI's UK representative, told The Sun: "The international community's failure to hold the regime accountable for its atrocities, including crimes against humanity and genocide, has allowed the regime to enjoy impunity. Advertisement "It is long overdue to hold Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader, and others accountable for committing these crimes." Earlier this year, Saeed Masouri, who spent 25 years behind bars, also revealed how the execution rate has spiralled. In June alone, the regime's merciless killing spree saw at least 176 inmates sent to the gallows. Masouri, who was arrested for his affiliation with the resistance unit People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran, revealed the secret process behind executions. Psychological torture, threats against family and sham trials are all used as tools by the regime to condemn its enemies to death on trumped-up charges. Advertisement Defendants - and their lawyers - are often even denied access to their own files, making it near impossible to be cleared. Hossein Abedini, deputy director of the NCRI offices in the UK, said paranoid rules were hellbent on stamping out repression. He told The Sun: "Executions under the clerical regime contravene all internationally recognised standards and norms of due process and are fundamentally used as a political instrument of repression. "Faced with deep-rooted crises stemming from illegitimacy, corruption, and incompetence, and driven by fear of popular uprisings and nationwide protests, this regime has resorted to increasing executions. "It employs inhumane pressures on political prisoners, torturing and harassing them and their families. Advertisement "As a result, the rate of executions in Iran is rising at an unprecedented level in recent decades, with death sentences issued even for political prisoners arrested during the September 2022 uprising."
Irish Daily Mirror
10 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish leaders welcome clarity on EU-US trade deal and pharma tariffs cap of 15%
Ireland's leaders have welcomed clarity on the EU-US trade deal, which sees the US commit to capping tariffs on pharma goods at 15 per cent. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the trade agreement represented a "significant win" for the EU while Tanaiste Simon Harris said it offered an "important shield" for Irish exporters. The EU struck a trade deal with the US on July 27, five days before Mr Trump said a 30 per cent tariff would kick in for the bloc. The deal sees 15 per cent tariffs on most EU goods including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals entering the US. United States President Donald Trump makes remarks as he participates in a Multilateral Meeting with European Leaders in the East Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US. Picture date: Monday August 18, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Aaron Schwartz/PA Wire There are "zero for zero" tariffs on a number of products including aircrafts and aircraft parts, some agricultural goods and certain chemicals – as well as EU purchases of US energy worth $750 billion over three years. In the aftermath of the deal, it was not clear whether 15 per cent would remain the rate for the pharma sector or be increased. The EU-US statement published on Thursday said that as of September 1, the US will apply a maximum tariff rate of 15 per cent on generic pharmaceuticals, their ingredients and chemical precursors. "The United States intends to promptly ensure that the tariff rate, comprised of the MFN (Most Favored Nation) tariff and the tariff imposed pursuant to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, applied to originating goods of the European Union subject to Section 232 actions on pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and lumber does not exceed 15 per cent." Mr Harris, Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, welcomed the assurances for the pharmaceutical and semiconductor sectors. "We welcome clarity that the deal includes a single, all-inclusive 15 per cent tariff on EU goods," Mr Harris said. Tanaiste Simon Harris "We also now have assurance that this rate will extend to pharmaceuticals and semiconductors. "This provides an important shield to Irish exporters that could have been subject to much larger tariffs pending the outcomes of Section 232 US investigations into these sectors." Mr Harris said this offered a "first step" to a more "comprehensive and formal agreement with the US in the future". "Our intention now is to see what other carve outs can be made in areas of interest for Irish exporters." Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the statement brought "greater clarity and certainty" to what the EU-US agreement would mean in practice. "This is especially important for enterprises that either import from or export to the US," he said. Taoiseach Micheal Martin "Given the scale of the pharmaceutical and semiconductor sectors in Ireland, it is important that the Joint Statement confirms that 15 per cent is a ceiling that will apply to EU exports in these areas in all circumstances, including when the current US Section 232 investigations are concluded. "While I have been clear all along that I do not support tariffs, this is a significant win for the EU. "Given the significance of the airline sector to Ireland, a specific carve-out for aircraft and aircraft parts is also welcome. "There are areas where further work remains to be done, including a potential carve-out for med-tech products and spirits. "I hope this will be advanced as quickly as possible. We will continue to advocate for these sectors given their significant importance to our domestic economy." Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
