Cosgrave declines to attend
Arthur Beesley,
Political Reporter
The former taoiseach, Mr Liam Cosgrave, has refused an invitation to attend meetings of the Oireachtas sub-committee. He wrote on Monday saying that he had retired from public life in 1981.
The former Fine Gael leader was responding to an invitation issued by the sub-committee of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Equality, Defence and Womens' Rights on December 22nd.
In a two-paragraph letter, seen by The Irish Times, he wrote: "I informed Judge Barron on 8th February, 2001, that I had taken no files or copies of documents when I left office. I have nothing to add to what I said to Judge Barron in meetings with him and in the correspondence with Judge Barron and Mr Michael Buckley."
Mr Cosgrave has not made any public comment on the conclusions of the judge's report, which said the Coalition Government he led showed "little interest" in pursuing those responsible for the attacks.
That finding has been challenged former Ministers in Mr Cosgrave's government, including Dr Garret FitzGerald, Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien and Mr Paddy Cooney.