HC Deb 21 October 1999 vol 336 cc640-1W
Mr. McNamara

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date bomb debris from the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan explosions arrived in Northern Ireland; what was the recorded weight of debris received; if a continuous chain of custody for the debris can be established whilst it remained in Northern Ireland; what happened to the debris after the Belfast forensic scientist Dr. Hall carried out his examination; and where and in whose custody the debris is today. [93526]

Mr. Ingram

[holding answer 19 October 1999]Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Forensic Science Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. R. W. Adams. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from R. W. Adams to Mr. Kevin McNamara, dated 19 October 1999:

I am writing in response to your question regarding debris received at this laboratory in connection with bombings in Monaghan and Dublin in 1974.Items relating to the above incidents were received from the Garda Siochana at the laboratory in Belfast on 28 May 1974. No weight was recorded for them.There are no records available in the laboratory in relation to the internal continuity of the items or to their ultimate fate. The presumption is that they were returned to the Garda in line with normal practice for items received from the police.
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