John Paul Phelan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for choosing this motion for the Topical Issues debate. I reiterate what Deputy Creed stated. I have examined this case for a number of years, ever since it came back into the public domain. Our system of criminal justice is based on fundamental principles of fair procedures but such procedures are a two-way street. There must be fair principles for both those accused and those who are the victims of crime. In this case, the family of Fr. Molloy have been seeking justice for almost 28 years.

Fr. Molloy was murdered in July 1985. A series of events occurred, both on that day and in the time since, which are really extraordinary. I am not one who is taken by conspiracy theories but all evidence as presented seems to suggest clearly that more than merely freak events are in question. There was some level of collusion and cover up by very powerful influences in our society. There was the failure of gardaí on the day in question to retain vital evidence, failure to identify blood and fingerprints at the scene, and inconsistencies identified in the statements given by people to gardaí after the event. There was the declaration afterwards that the judge in the trial had been very familiar with the suspect in the case. Garda files were stolen from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, a fire in the coroner's office destroyed files and there was a burglary at Fr. Molloy's house two weeks before he was murdered. There were attempts by the accused to cash in an insurance policy on Fr. Molloy's life. There was the alleged involvement of very serious figures associated with crime in this country in the past 30 years. All these factors present an unanswerable case for the establishment of a commission of inquiry into this event soon as possible, in order that justice for Fr. Molloy and his family may be finally achieved.

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