A board of military officers is to examine a submission from a retired Army officer who served in the Congo in 1961, the Minister for Defence told the Dáil.
Mr Smith said that the chief of staff had received the submission seeking a review of the role played by members of the Western Command during the battle of Jadotville.
"The chief of staff has asked the board to make recommendations as to any further action that may be open. Pending the outcome of the examination, it would not be appropriate for me to comment. I will carefully consider any recommendations that the Chief of Staff may make in respect of the issue." The Minister was replying to the Fine Gael spokesman on defence, Mr Dinny McGinley, who said he was glad that the case was being reopened after 43 years.
"Does the Minister agree that the essential elements of the matter are simple and straightforward - namely, that a company of the Irish Defence Forces, under severe attack by 4,000 Katanganese soldiers led by Belgian officers, sustained the attack for five days? They were outnumbered by 20 to one and during the five days inflicted casualties of 300 on the enemy forces without sustaining any casualty themselves, though seven were injured. They withstood the land and air bombardment for five days until, eventually, their ammunition, food and water ran out.
"The Daily Mail, that organ of rectitude, reported afterwards that they fought like tigers. Now, 43 years later, their valour and heroism has been almost airbrushed out of Irish military history," Mr McGinley said.
Mr Smith said he would respond quickly to whatever recommendations were made to him.
