Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. Garda Tony Golden was shot dead on the evening of Sunday, 11 October 2015 in Omeath, County Louth. He was 36 years old and married with three young children. He was stationed in Omeath and lived in Blackrock outside Dundalk. He was the 88th member of the Garda force to die in the service of his country. As the Deputy said, he was responding to a domestic incident in Omeath at the home of Mr. Adrian Crevan Mackin and his partner Siobhán Phillips. Obviously, Ms Phillips had gone to the Garda in Omeath on the Sunday with her father and expressed her fear that Mr. Mackin was going to kill her and himself. Garda Golden escorted her and her father to the property to collect her personal items. When she and Garda Golden entered the house, Mr. Mackin shot her, Garda Golden and then himself with an illegally held handgun. Ms Phillips' father who had remained outside then telephoned the emergency services. Garda Golden and Mr. Mackin were dead at the scene, while Ms Phillips, as the Deputy is aware, suffered serious gunshot wounds to the head and was hospitalised. I am glad to say she is recovering.

The Garda is carrying out a full investigation. The Garda Commissioner has made it clear that it will take into account the full range of circumstances surrounding the shootings. Mr. Mackin who was from Newry was well known to the Garda. He had several previous convictions in Northern Ireland, including for firearms offences for which he had been sentenced and released on licence. In January 2015 he had been charged before the Special Criminal Court with membership of an illegal organisation, following his arrest in an intelligence led Garda operation. He had been released on bail pending trial.

The truth of the allegations made here has not been established. There are ongoing processes to do that which are set out clearly in law. I urge against the making of hasty judgments.

All of the concerns raised with me and the Tánaiste by Deputy Adams were quickly brought to the attention of and pursued by the Garda authorities in the context of their ongoing investigation and review process into the shootings and related matters. The Tánaiste expects to receive a final report from the Garda authorities addressing these matters when the investigation and review are completed.

The Tánaiste was also made aware in February last year by a firm of solicitors acting for Mr. Mackin's family that related matters had been brought to the attention of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, GSOC. It announced its decision recently to initiate a public interest investigation into certain matters and it indicates this public interest investigation will take place alongside the ongoing investigation of complaints made previously. I welcome this action by GSOC and its investigations must be allowed to take their course so the truth or otherwise of certain allegations made can be established quite independently. Without seeking to prejudge the issues involved, it would be of huge importance to learn anything that can be learned from the tragic events in Omeath. The GSOC investigation will be of considerable assistance in this regard.

I will make a final point. It is important to make the point that decisions in respect of the prosecution of offences are a matter for the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, who is fully independent in accordance with the law in discharging these functions. The office of the DPP is far better placed than anybody in the House to decide on the bringing of criminal charges in any given case and is uniquely well placed, with the relevant experience to make a determination as to what convictions are likely to be secured on the basis of the assessment before it.

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