FORMER ARMY LIEUTENANT Dónal de Róiste, who was found to have been wrongfully forced to retire from the army 50 years ago, has said outside Leinster House today that he was “overcome” when he received an apology this week.

De Róiste said he was “so relieved” and that “justice delayed is still justice”. 

He thanked “everyone who stood by me all these years”. 

De Róiste was speaking alongside his family outside Leinster House this afternoon after Defence Minister Simon Coveney on Wednesday said the Government had accepted the findings of an independent review, and apologised for the “distress and upset” suffered.

The review found that de Róiste should have been offered basic procedure to challenge the decision to retire him.

In April 1969, when de Róiste was 23 and based at Custume Barracks in Athlone, he was interrogated by army authorities in relation to an allegation made by an unidentified person.

Then-president Eamon de Valera subsequently retired de Róiste, acting on the advice of the government.

In a statement on Wednesday, Coveney said: “Clearly, the security situation in Ireland in 1969 was far different than what it is today.

“However, whilst a decision to retire Mr de Róiste from the Defence Forces in these circumstances, and on the basis of the documentation considered at the time, was found by the reviewer to be reasonable, the review has determined that no national security concerns should have prevented Mr de Róiste from being afforded the most basic procedures of natural justice and the right to defend himself and his good name.

“In this regard, the review has concluded that Mr de Róiste’s dismissal was not in accordance with law.”

The Government has accepted the conclusions of the review report by barrister Niall Beirne.

In a statement on following this, the de Róiste family said they “wholeheartedly” welcomed the findings of the review and said they were “profoundly grateful” to Coveney for his apology.

It comes after five decades of campaigning from the Roche family, who said in a statement that the result “finally bringing closure to this dreadful miscarriage of justice”.

“All our family have ever wanted was for Donal’s good name and character, and the good name of our family, to be restored.

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“As the review report has found, our brother was denied a fair process in 1969, there was no charge, no trial, no conviction and for 53 years we have fought for justice to be done.

“Our parents, and our mother Christine in particular, fought tirelessly over many years for Donal’s innocence to be declared.”

Speaking to RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, Adi Roche said “it’s going to take a long time to adjust and to recover” following the news this week. 

“Because if you’ve carried, for 53 years, a very dark shadow and the loss of who you are and your good name, it takes a bit of adjusting,” she said. 

“But the shadow has been lifted and his life begins again from today. I hope he will have a wonderful life. He’s 77 years of age, it took that get justice done, but it’s a proud moment and he can walk proud and walk tall today,” she added. 

With reporting by Press Association