Taoiseach Micheal Martin has called on the British government to issue an apology for the deaths of five people shot by soldiers in West Belfast in 1972.

The call came during a response to a question in the Irish parliament from Aontu leader Peadar Toibin.

A recent inquest in Belfast concluded that the soldiers did not use reasonable force when they shot the five individuals within minutes of each other on 9 July 1972.

The victims included Margaret Gargan, 13; John Dougal, 16; David McCafferty, 14; Patrick Butler, 38; and Fr Noel Fitzpatrick, 42.

Martin stated that timely and proper apologies should be given for the Springhill Massacre and similar events.

Toibin said the British government should formally apologise to the families and the wider West Belfast community.

The inquest found that one of the soldiers fired without assessing risks and that claims of a mass attack on their base were untrue.