THE Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, has expressed regret at the shooting dead of Diarmuid O'Neill in London but has restated his relief that the British police foiled - the IRA's bombing plans. His comments, in the Dail yesterday, came amid increased calls on the British authorities to make a full statement on the circumstances surrounding the killing on Monday.
While stating his regret, Mr Bruton said: "Mr O'Neill may be dead but there would be many other people dead if the IRA's objectives were achieved in London."
However, he also believed it was right that an independent police inquiry should investigate the role of the police in the killing. The forces of law must act in accordance with the law.
Mr Jim O'Keeffe, the Fine Gael Cork South-West TD, said several questions had been raised about the publicly-known circumstances of the O'Neill killing. Mr O'Neill's parents live in Mr O'Keeffe's constituency.
Congratulating the police on tracing the explosives, Mr O'Keeffe said he believed in the rule of law which applied equally to all, including the forces of law and order. In this situation, a full statement from the authorities is now necessary.
Adopting a far more critical approach, the Fianna Fail party spokesman on justice, Mr John O'Donoghue, also called for a full explanation from the British authorities.
Speaking from Bath where he was attending the British-Irish Interparliamentary Body meeting, Mr O'Donoghue said no man had the right to act as judge, jury and executioner. It was paramount that the police of any country should observe the highest standards.
Expressing unease at the "very, disturbing reports" that Mr O'Neill was unarmed when he was shot, Mr O'Donoghue said if that proved to be the case and the police were aware he did not have a weapon, clearly very serious questions must be answered bye the British authorities.
"This calls for an inquiry at the highest level... If we are going to have institutionalised violence, it is quite clear we are going to have strife on the streets.
"I am fearful that there may have been a policy of shoot-to-kill in this instance," Mr O'Donoghue said. He could not prove this since the full facts had not been made available.
Events like the release of Private Lee Clegg, Drumcree and now the possibility of an unarmed person being shot merely - "inflame and radicalise young nationalist opinion in the North of Ireland".
