Former Progressive Democrats leader Mr Des O'Malley today rejected allegations made against him concerning events surrounding the 1970 Arms Trial.
The Arms Trial was brought back into the public focus last month by RTÉ's
Prime Time
programme that alleged a witness statementby the retired director of military intelligence, Colonel Michael Hefferon, had been edited with the knowledge of the then minister for justice, MrO'Malley, and the department secretary, Mr Peter Berry.
Mr O'Malley said one of the central points of the original Prime Timeprogramme was that prosecutions might not have started against all or someof the defendants ifColonel Hefferon's statement had been available in full totheLawOfficers.
He noted Col Hefferon's statement was made three days afterthedefendantswerearrested and charged and four days afterwarrants wereappliedforby the Garda for their arrest.
Mr O’Malley said the "claim, therefore, does not stand up and itsimplyhadnobearing on the matter and that should be remembered".
In a lengthy statement issued by Mr O'Malley today, he said it would not have been possible for him or his secretary to haveseen the statement during the time frameindicated by officialdepartmentalstamps marked on the document.
He said the stamp onthe statement shows it was made on Saturday May 30th, 1970, and as it was a bank holiday weekend the department would not have been open until the following Tuesday.