THE first anniversary mass of a Newtowncunningham peacekeeper killed on duty in Lebanon is to take place.
Private Seán Rooney of the 27th Infantry Battalion was killed on December 14 last year.
Born in Dundalk, the 24-year-old spent much of his later life in Newtowncunningham.
He was laid to rest with full military honours at the adjoining cemetery of the Church of All Saints in Newtowncunningham.
Pte Rooney’s first anniversary mass will be celebrated at Church of the Holy Family Dundalk on Tuesday, December 12 at 10am.
Meanwhile, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin has said he was “not at all happy” with the recent release on bail of a suspect accused of killing Donegal/Dundalk soldier Sean Rooney.
Minister Martin said he was “very disappointed” with developments in Lebanon, where one of the individuals accused of the murder of Private Seán Rooney on December 14 last who had been in Lebanese custody has been released on bail.
Minister Martin said he was in the Middle East when the news broke, but met with Private Rooney‘s mother, Natasha, on Monday to update her on the progress of the investigations being carried out into her son’s killing.
“The family are my absolute priority in terms of ensuring that they are kept immediately informed of any updates received by the
Department, including the very disappointing news this week. I am not at all happy with what has transpired.”
He said he assured Pte Rooney’s mother of the government’s continued determination to ensure that justice is done in holding to account those responsible for the heinous crime.
“This is a point I strongly made again recently to my Lebanese foreign and defence counterparts as well as at the United Nations when I met the Secretary General, António Guterres, earlier in the year. I met with the Lebanese foreign minister during UNGA week in September in respect of this matter.”
The case against this suspect and the other defendants is due to resume in Beirut on December 15.
Minister Martin said that the Irish government’s legal representatives can observe what is going on in the courts but cannot intervene in the court case per se.
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