SAOIRSE32

BBC - History

War and Peace

The Belfast Blitz 1941

The aftermath of the Blitz in Belfast ©

On the evening of Easter Tuesday, 15 April 1941, 180 German bombers attacked Belfast and continued for several hours, dropping a total of 203 metric tons of bombs and 800 firebomb canisters on the city. All contact with a squadron of Hurricanes was lost and the Luftwaffe did not sustain a single loss. At the height of the raid a message was sent to de Valera by railway telegraph to send help. He agreed immediately and fire engines sped northwards. About a thousand people were killed. No city, save London, suffered more loss of life in one night’s raid on the United Kingdom.

The Germans returned on the night of 4-5 May and inflicted devastating damage on the city’s industries, but the loss of life was less than before since so many citizens had fled to the countryside. Sir Wilfred Spender estimated that 100,000 people had left the city before the second raid, and this figure rose to 220,000 by the end of May 1941. A month later Hitler began his invasion of Russia along a 900-mile front, and the Germans did not return to Northern Ireland. Because of its geographical position, Northern Ireland played a crucial role in the protection of convoys and Derry became the biggest anti-submarine base in the Atlantic.

BreakingNews.ie

McCartneys join families of other murder victims

16/04/2005 - 18:45:30

The sisters of the murdered Belfast man, Robert McCartney, are backing the families of two other murdered men in their quests for justice.

They have rallied with the relations of Mark Robinson and Jimmy McGinley, who were both allegedly killed by IRA members.

Over 200 people attended the rally in Derry.

The sisters have been the subjects of intimidation threats by republicans while handing out leaflets in the Short Strand area of Belfast.

BBC

Child escapes attempted abduction

A child has escaped from an apparent abduction attempt in Coleraine.

The 12-year-old boy was walking along the Cloyfin Road towards the Ballysally Road at about 1400 BST when a man in a silver saloon car pulled up beside him.

The man, who claimed to be a taxi driver, offered him a free lift home, which the boy declined.

The man then approached him for a second time and offered him sweets. When the boy again declined the man verbally abused him and drove off.

The man is described as having brown hair, thinning on top, a goatee beard and a long thin face.

He is believed to have been wearing a brown jumper.

Inspector Andy Lemon said the boy had done exactly the right thing.

“We would urge all parents or guardians to remind young people that they should never talk or go with strangers,” Mr Lemon said.

Police want anyone who witnessed the incident, or can help them identify the car or the driver, to contact them on 028 70344122.

BBC

Croke Park opened to other sports

Croke Park is one of the finest stadiums in Europe

The Gaelic Athletic Association has taken an historic decision to allow Croke Park to be opened to soccer and rugby on a temporary basis.

Saturday’s GAA Congress proposal was passed by 227 votes to 97.

The decision now opens the door to the Ireland rugby team and Republic of Ireland soccer side playing at the Dublin stadium.

There had the prospect of the teams being forced to play in Britain because of the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road.

The motion required a two-thirds majority to get through which translated to a figure of 217.

Therefore, the Sligo county board motion had 10 votes to spare.

The Sligo proposal called for Croke Park to be available to be “leased or hired” during the duration of the Lansdowne Road redevelopment.

Under the Sligo motion, Rule 42 will return to the GAA’s statute book once the Lansdowne Road development is completed.

The redevelopment of Lansdowne Road, which is scheduled to begin later this year, is expected to take at least three years.

Prior to Saturday’s vote, a number of delegates spoke out strongly against the proposal.

GAA president Sean Kelly supported the historic change

Ulster GAA president Micheal Greenan made an impassioned plea calling for the status quo to remain.

Cavan and Donegal were the only Ulster counties to vote in favour of allowing football and rugby to play at HQ, while all six of the northern counties were against any change.

In the other main business of the day, Kilkenny man Nicky Brennan defeated Christy Cooney in the GAA presidential election.

Brennan won the vote by 171 to 154 and he will assume the presidency after next year’s Congress.

The Kilkenny man had favoured the opening of Croke Park to other sports while Cooney was against the historic move.

As regards other motions, Congress decided on Saturday morning to dispense with the clean pick-up which has been in operation during the Allianz National Football League.

It will remain in force for the rest of the National League but will then be dropped from the rules.

After the conclusion of the NFL, goalkeepers will continue to have the option of using a tee for kickouts.

Congress also decided to set-up a new arbitration body which, it is hoped, will reduce the likelihood of players using the courts to overturn disciplinary decisions.

The new Central Appeals Committee, which will officially come into existence after next year’s Congress, will have a chairman and one representative from each province.

An American friend just sent me this email she received from a woman named Jane who works to save animals from suffering. These are some links you can use to help add your voice in protest against the seal slaughter off eastern Canada. As with any tragedy, you may think that the little you can do will mean nothing, but strength is in numbers, and it cannot hurt to let it be known that you are standing up for what is right. Many times people and organisations are coerced into doing the right thing because so many people speak out against them.

From the email:

First, go to http://www.seashepherd.org/ Click on Seal Hunts and look for the What you can do link. There is a lot of information here, whom to write, what to say, email addresses and etc.

Next, go to www.ifaw.org. Click on Speak Out Against Seal Hunt. Next, click on Take Action. This will take you to a page where you can write a letter and add your voice to the over 9,000 already there.

Also, go to www.protectseals.org and sign the Pledge.

The most important thing you can do is ‘ask others’. Get as many people as you can to take a few minutes out of their day to speak out. It may do no good at all….but then again, miracles happen every day.

Daily Ireland

Bonfire sites claim risk

District councils that make public land available to loyalists for bonfires are risking paying out huge compensation claims, legal experts warned yesterday.
The warning came after Belfast City Council agreed to hand over eight green-field sites and provide grants of up to £2,500 (€3,700) to loyalists wishing to celebrate July 12.
Bonfire site schemes similar to that introduced in Belfast currently operate in Coleraine and Ballymena.
Every bonfire burned on public land throughout the North is illegal, making it impossible for anyone injured at a bonfire to claim compensation.
However, with councils in Belfast, Coleraine and Ballymena now facilitating bonfires there is a legal argument that local government could be held responsible for injuries sustained by a person at a bonfire site.
North Belfast SDLP councillor and barrister Alban Maginness said: “There is an arguable case that councils could be deemed responsible for any injuries that occur at these bonfire sites.
“That would obviously have a major financial impact and I would urge the legal teams at various councils to consider this very carefully.
“In Belfast’s case, I would prefer we take out insurance to protect against any eventuality.”
Sinn Féin Assemblyman Fra McCann is another who insists councils operating bonfire schemes are leaving themselves open to a flood of compensation cases.
“The councils are going to have to be extremely careful,” he said. “If anyone is injured at a bonfire site, and then claims compensation, ratepayers could be forced to fork out thousands of pounds.”
The eight sites in Belfast earmarked for the council bonfire scheme are at Mount Vernon, Westland, Pitt Park, Inverary, Highfield, Sunningdale, Annadale and Taughmonagh.
A spokeswoman for Belfast City Council said: “It is incorrect to say that the council is making these sites available. These are sites that have traditionally been used for bonfires.
“The council does not accept that its involvement in developing a strategy with other statutory agencies and engaging with the local community in that process has any implications for its position in the context of liability for personal injury.”
The spokeswoman also admitted the council is currently embroiled in a legal dispute over an accident attributable to a bonfire site on council property.
Last year more than £1 million of taxpayers’ cash was spent dealing with problems caused by bonfires. This figure takes into account emergency services, clean-up and damage to the environment costs.
On July 12, 2004, the fire brigade had to attend 327 emergency calls related to bonfires, more than three times the amount of calls they have to deal with on a normal night.

Sinn Féin

Council backed Lough Foyle Ferry Company not paying workers minimum wage - Sinn Féin councillors demands answer

Published: 16 April, 2005

Sinn Féin Donegal County Councillor, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Limavady Borough Councillor, Anne Brolly have said they will be demanding answers as to how Lough Foyle Ferry Company subsidised by both councils has not been paying some of its staff the legal minimum wage. Cllr Mac Lochlainn has been informed that some staff working on the Magilligan/ Greencastle Ferry are receiving a wage of €5.60 per hour or €210 for an average 37.5 hour week, which is well below the legal minimum wage of €7 per hour in the 26 counties. The Lough Foyle Ferry Company is subsidised €108,000 by Donegal County Council and £55,000 by Limavady Borough Council per annum in a joint cross border tourism initiative to operate the Magilligan/ Greencastle Ferry.

Cllr Mac Lochlainn said:

“I have to say that as an elected member of Donegal County Council, I am extremely concerned at information I have received that this company, subsidised to the tune of €208,000 per annum by Donegal County Council to operate the Magilligan/ Greencastle Ferry and the Buncrana/ Rathmullan Ferry are currently not paying some of their workers the minimum wage. If my information is correct, then it is nothing short of an absolute disgrace. Particularly in the context of figures that Donegal County Council were presented with, outlining the great success of the Ferry so far. Failure by employers to pay their employees the minimum wage is nothing short of exploitation and we in Sinn Féin will not condone exploitation.

“I will now be asking the County Manager, Michael McLoone to immediately undertake an investigation in to this situation. My party colleague, Cllr Anne Brolly will be taking a similar initiative in Limavady Borough Council. If the allegations prove correct, then they must have serious repercussions for the company involved. At the very least, I will be demanding that all staff employed by the company immediately receive the minimum wage and then the increase to €7.65 per hour in May. As well as this, I will be demanding that any staff that have not received the minimum wage to date will be paid all the backdated wages owed to them before one more penny of tax payers money is given to this company.

“We will also be calling for a review of both Donegal County Council’s and Limavady Borough Council’s funding criteria to ensure that any business receiving subsidies is checked on its employment procedures in relation to paying the legal minimum wage required in each jurisdiction.

“I would also call on any workers who suspect that they are not being paid the legal minimum wage to immediately contact any of our elected representatives with their complaint.”ENDS

BreakingNews.ie

Parents of seriously ill tot make plea for donors

16/04/2005 - 09:20:00

The parents of a desperately ill toddler who needs a life-saving double liver and bowel transplant have issued a plea for organ donors.

15-month-old Aaron Brady from Lucan, Co Dublin is battling a rare condition whereby he was born with his bowels and part of his stomach outside his body.

His parents, 29-year-old Scott Brady and 26-year-old Debbie Barry, are now pleading with parents whose children have died to remember that donated vital organs can save the lives of others.

Daily Ireland

Concern at new inquiry

Serious concerns have been expressed about the British government’s inquiry into the murder of Co Armagh solicitor Rosemary Nelson, scheduled to open in Craigavon Civic Centre on Tuesday morning.
Mrs Nelson acted for a range of high-profile clients, including the Garvaghy Road Residents Coalition. She was killed outside her Lurgan home after a loyalist booby-trap bomb exploded under her car on March 15, 1999.
The murder followed years of official intimidation against Mrs Nelson, emanating from the RUC and British forces. Her killing subsequently increased widespread complaints of collusion.
Daily Ireland has learned that the inquiry has not yet contacted several of Mrs Nelson’s personal friends and prominent human-rights activists in whom she confided information about threats and intimidation.
Belfast solicitor Pádraigín Drinan, one of Mrs Nelson’s closest professional colleagues, yesterday claimed that the British government’s decision to establish an inquiry under the terms of the Police Act 1998 could present major obstacles to the search for truth.
Section 44 of the Police Act permits the secretary of state to establish an inquiry “into any matter connected with policing”.
It also vests the secretary of state with power to restrict the public nature of the inquiry — and its outcome — “so far as appears to him consistent with the public interest”.
The inquiry’s terms of reference were announced earlier this year but have recently been amended to include reference to the role of the British army and other state agencies.
This inclusion came about after pressure from a number of human-rights organisations and non-governmental organisations.
However, Ms Drinan has argued that there is still a range of concerns linked with the overarching framework of the inquiry.
“What needs to be looked at is the actual powers of the inquiry, which are set out in section 44 of the Police Act — which immediately restricts and limits the powers to investigate only those matters ‘connected with policing’,” Ms Drinan said.
“Accordingly, in my opinion, it doesn’t really matter that the British government has changed the terms of reference to include the army and other state agencies. They can only investigate any matter connected with policing.
“Therefore, if it is alleged that there was collusion between the RIR and loyalists, how is that connected with policing?
“If it is alleged that someone in the NIO refused Rosemary protection prior to her death, how is that connected with policing?
“Apart from that, if indications are given that the hearings will be in public, how can that be assured when the secretary of state, a party to the proceedings, can direct that the hearings be in private? It is the secretary of state who has the power under legislation, not the inquiry,” Ms Drinan said.
She said the legal representatives of Mrs Nelson’s family were restricted from even questioning witnesses
Ms Drinan asked: “What sort of inquiry is it when you aren’t allowed to ask questions? [Judge Peter] Cory got it right.
“How can someone party to the proceedings, in this case the secretary of state, be the person who has overall legislative control of the inquiry?”

BreakingNews.ie

Adams accuses minister of election interference

16/04/2005 - 11:55:14

Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams today accused the Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern of interfering in the Westminster election campaign in Northern Ireland.

Mr Adams said he has made a formal written complaint to the Irish Government over the minister visiting Eddie McGrady of the SDLP in his south Down constituency earlier this week.

A spokesman for Mr Ahern said: “Gerry Adams and the provisional leadership at the current time have a lot of serious issues to address as distinct from whether Dermot Ahern visited south Down.”

He added: “Dermot Ahern as Minister for Foreign Affairs visited in a long standing arrangement and he has every intention of continuing his visits to the North.”

Mr Adams rejected any explanations from the Government that Mr Ahern was simply fulfilling a long-standing engagement.

“It’s obviously intervention and not just by Fianna Fáil but by the Government,” Mr Adams told BBC radio.

“I have protested formally to the Government over this. Now it is no surprise, at every single election, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, the PDs and the Labour Party have all come and campaigned on behalf of the SDLP.

“They’ve been in most of the constituencies. So that’s par for the course.”

However, he added: “What is new is that a minister would come in, as Dermot Ahern did, and I think he made a mistake and that he overstepped his responsibility.”

Meanwhile, Irish Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte joined SDLP head Mark Durkan in Derry today to urge voters to ensure the politician takes a seat in the forthcoming British general election.

Both politicians told the people of Derry that a vote for SDLP meant choosing a party that was determined the Good Friday Agreement would be implemented in full.

“A vote for the SDLP keeps on the positive pressure that has moved the IRA more in the last seven weeks than in the last seven years,” the Foyle Westminster candidate said.

“It is a vote for decent peace, real progress and the whole Agreement. It is a stronger vote for a party that is stronger on the right issues, for the right reasons.”

Mr Rabbitte joined the politician on the campaign trail at the Verbal Arts Centre in Derry as both parties belong to the Party of European Socialists.

Mr Durkan said the Labour leader stands strong with the SDLP for both Irish democracy and social justice.

He added: “We share a determination that the Good Friday Agreement will be implemented in full, so that we can get on with the work of delivering on jobs, healthcare, education and the environment – the issues that really matter to people across our island.”

He warned that politics will remain stuck in a rut if people stay home and do not vote.

Irelandclick.com

DUP delight at bonfire green light - £2.5k each for eight ‘pilot’ bonfire sites

North Belfast DUP councillor Ian Crozier has said that he is delighted that attempts to block a city hall funding scheme for 11th night bonfires failed at this week’s monthly council meeting.
Controversy had loomed over the pilot scheme over recent months which proposed to give eight bonfires £2500 each, on top of nearly £20,000 to retain the services of intermediary group Groundwork who work with loyalist communities on the ground.
The plans had evoked scathing criticism from the St Patrick’s Day Carnival Committee who had been rejected in their funding application by Unionist and Alliance councillors for what they see as a failure to treat both communities equally.
On Monday, Sinn Féin’s Fra McCann opposed the bonfire plans and suggested the plans go back to committee.
Party colleague Paul Maskey pointed out that the Director of Client Services had yet to answer in full all of Sinn Féin’s concerns about the details of the programme, including safety and legal queries.
However when the vote was taken it was with four SDLP abstention votes, including North Belfast councillor Alban Maginness’ vote, that the programme was carried: 13 for, 16 against and four abstentions. Speaking from Brussels today (Thursday) the MLA confirmed his party did abstain en bloc.
“Sinn Féin councillors tried to block the scheme out of sour grapes because they failed in their bid to secure funding for the St Patrick’s Day Carnival,” said Alban Maginness.
Ian Crozier said he was delighted with the decision.
The pilot scheme will now make resources available at eight bonfire sites, including Shore Crescent, Mount Vernon, Westland and Sunningdale in the north of the city.
Projects undertaken to date include the provision of hard standing for bonfire sites and storage facilities for materials.
“Groups in unionist communities across the city have shown considerable leadership in seeking to improve the way in which 11th night bonfires are managed,” Ian Crozier said.
“It would have been totally wrong for Belfast City Council to throw all of their hard work back in their faces.
“Government agencies worked for years to help the nationalist community to transform their August bonfires into major community events – millions of pounds have been invested in things like the West Belfast Festival. Unionist councillors are simply working to redress the balance.”
Sinn Féin councillor for Oldpark Margaret McClenaghan said she was disappointed by the decision.
“The SDLP have shown a complete lack of leadership and vision on this issue,” said Margaret McClenaghan.
“Through consultation with statutory bodies we drew up 11 concerns, many of which remain unanswered.
“Some of these concerns address financial responsibility of the city hall, control of site and environmental issues which were not answered in their entirety.
“The SDLP knew this clearly from the debate yet refused through their non-voting to have this taken back to committee until satisfactory answers were given.”

Journalist:: Staff Reporter

Irelandclick.com

**I’m sure if the PISSNI wanted to break down the door and raid this house, they would have found it quickly enough.

Lost

As a house was being burgled three times during broad daylight, the PSNI were busy trying to find the Somerton Road on map!

North Belfast DUP councillor Ian Crozier has branded the PSNI’s handling of a recent burglary incident in his constituency as farcical and demanded an investigation by the Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan.
During the incident which took place a fortnight ago a house in the Somerton Road area was broken into by a gang of youths three times in a matter of a few hours in broad daylight.
On each occasion, a neighbour saw the youths and telephoned the PSNI at Tennant Street.
On each occasion, they failed to turn up.
When the witness called for a third time, they asked why the PSNI had not yet appeared, and were told that the police at Tennant Street had been unable to find the Somerton Road on a map.
According to the North Belfast Councillor, the PSNI eventually arrived more than two hours after they had first been called and went to the wrong house.
“When the eyewitness explained to me what had happened, I was absolutely appalled,” Ian Crozier said.
“I am sure that all right-thinking people will regard the police response to this incident as absolutely unacceptable and this is why I have written to Nuala O’Loan and asked her to look into it.
“What makes matters worse is that this incident came only a month after police took more than two hours to respond to the mugging of a pensioner in the same area and assured local people that it wouldn’t happen again.”
Recently, residents from the Ashfield, Queen Victoria Gardens and Somerton area have been trying to combat crime and anti-social behaviour in their neighbourhood.
The campaign was stepped up after a 76-year-old woman was assaulted during a burglary in which her car was stolen in October 2003.
“Local residents are to be commended for their positive approach to dealing with problems in their area, however morale will not be helped by the police consistently letting them down like this,” Ian Crozier said.
The PSNI says it was unable to comment on to matter due to the involvement of the Police Ombudsman.

Journalist:: Áine McEntee

Daily Ireland

Robinson as safe as houses

From the rolling Castlereagh Hills at one end, to the sprawling glass-fronted development of Belfast’s Laganside at the other, the parliamentary constituency of East Belfast has been represented by the same MP for 26 years.
Despite his stranglehold, however, the DUP’s 56-year-old Peter Robinson doesn’t quite have an overall majority – which, in itself, indicates the diverse nature of the area.
East Belfast may have lost its beachhead of anti-Catholic discrimination with the demise of the Harland and Wolff shipyard but it is dotted with wealthy districts populated by unionist civil servants, top judges and senior PSNI members, and it boasts Belfast City Airport, the Stormont Castle estate, the Titanic Quarter and the PSNI’s Knock headquarters among its key landmarks.
However, significant areas of loyalist and republican working class deprivation also blight the constituency.
Despite firm support within the unionist community from his constituency activism, Mr Robinson still fails to secure the confidence of the republican enclave of Short Strand.
A reputedly hardline politician, as the DUP’s deputy leader Mr Robinson has long played second-fiddle to the towering leadership of Ian Paisley.
But it is the deputy leader of the UUP, Reg Empey, who once again looks most likely to take second place in the forthcoming parliamentary contest.
Speaking yesterday Mr Robinson said his electoral objective is about focusing “on the threat to democracy” posed by Sinn Féin.
“It is clear that only the DUP can defeat Sinn Féin and ensure that republicans do not top the poll in Northern Ireland,” Mr Robinson said.
Concentrating directly on constituency matters, the UUP’s Reg Empey called for an urgent regeneration plan in East Belfast – particularly inner city areas.
“We’re the only part of Belfast where there are large tracts of land which are suitable for housing but which have not yet been built upon, despite growing demand for social housing,” Mr Empey said.
He also hinted that some revised form of Assembly structure – excluding Sinn Féin – could be established after the elections.
With good tactical voting and the bounce of a nine per cent rise in the 2003 Assembly elections he still argues he could take the seat.
One candidate who admits she won’t be elected is Sinn Féin’s Deborah Devenny. But the prominent Short Strand community worker said that her campaign must be seen as part of Sinn Féin’s overall “winning team” strategy.
“People need to remember that they’re voting for the only nationalist party who will work consistently to deliver a lasting peace and that this will involve fresh negotiations in the near future where republicans need a strong mandate,” Ms Devenny said.
SDLP candidate Mary Muldoon said that her campaign is focused specifically on “trying to bring communities together”.
“The key issue in East Belfast is Robinson has been there for a long time and I think it’s time he got a bit of a bloody nose – metaphorically speaking, of course,” Ms Muldoon said.
Another candidate building bridges in this election is the Alliance Party’s Naomi Long.
A serving Belfast city councillor, Ms Long said if “people can get a single candidate behind which they can unite, then Peter Robinson could be beaten.
“I believe that as a representative of the Alliance Party, we have the only opportunity for constituents from across the community to unite in opposition to the divisive politics the DUP represent,” Ms Long said.
Unlike previous elections, the PUP’s long-serving and popular leader David Ervine is not contesting East Belfast.
However, his 3,000 votes are unlikely to swing the outcome away from Peter Robinson.

BBC

Christian taxi firm closes down

Windows were broken at Pastor Jack McKee’s home

A Christian taxi firm set up in the Shankill area of Belfast has closed down.

It was established earlier this year by Pastor Jack McKee and the New Life Fellowship church.

Earlier this week, windows in his home were smashed and his car was destroyed by a petrol bomb.

At the time, Pastor McKee said he had no doubt that this was linked to the firm. The pastor said he had brought jobs to the area with his company.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the firm said: “Due to further concerns expressed by the PSNI and for the sake of our drivers and their families, we the leadership of New Life Fellowship took the decision to close Liberty taxis.

“We will continue to promote and practice the Christian message of love and forgiveness and to pray for all who live and work within the Shankill community and our neighbouring communities.”

Pastor McKee and his family were in bed when the attack on his home happened.

He said he saw three men running away, although he believes five or six may have been involved.

The police said they did not comment on the personal security of any individual.

However, a spokesman said if the PSNI believed a person needed to review their personal security they would always take steps to inform them.

Belfast Telegraph

Crash ‘copter pilot who drank wine is banned from flying

By Brendan McDaid
newsdesk@belfasttelegraph.co.uk
16 April 2005

An army pilot who admitted drinking wine just hours before ploughing into Lough Foyle has been banned from flying.

A military aircraft accident summary, obtained by the Telegraph, reveals that the pilot recalled drinking “about one to two glasses of wine” at a social function less than four hours before the crash.

The report also found that both the pilot and his passenger - who sustained serious injuries in the crash - were in civilian clothing.

It also says that no authorisation or brief for the flight to take place had been issued.

The two crew were able to free themselves from the Gazelle aircraft after it crashed in shallow water, 200 metres off the coast in the early hours of July 19, 2002.

The Army has confirmed that the AcComd (aircraft commander) pilot in charge of a helicopter, which was returning to the Ballykelly Army base, has now been court-martialled.

Speaking from Army headquarters in Lisburn, a spokesman said: “I can confirm that a pilot was court-martialled and disciplined as a result of this incident.

“The pilot concerned was permanently grounded and banned.”

The report concludes: “The primary cause of the accident was determined as human factors, in that the AcComd suffered Type 1 spatial disorientation.

“This was due to a lack of attention to the external visual cues, and to the flight instruments, while distracted, fatigued and probably under the influence of alcohol.”

A number of safety recommendations have now been made in the report.

DUP MP Gregory Campbell, who had raised questions over delays in the investigation at Westminster, yesterday said that he intended to ensure that recommendations in the report in light if the incident, were adhered to.

“It is my intention to pursue this matter, as, given the conclusions and what could have happened in the Limavady/Ballykelly area if the aircraft had come down in a populated area, it is imperative that every possible step is taken to prevent any reoccurrence,” Mr Campbell said.