Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. As the Deputy will be aware, the retired judge, Judge Gerard Haughton, has been conducting a scoping exercise into the tragic circumstances surrounding Shane O'Farrell's death. The purpose of this exercise is to advise as to whether any further investigation or inquiry beyond those already carried out is necessary and, if so, to advise on the form of such investigation or inquiry and its terms of reference.

I am informed that the judge is on the verge of completing the scoping exercise and has begun the process to compile his final report. This is progress or is a change from the last time we spoke on this issue when information was still to be gathered. I am told now that this information has all been gathered and he has now begun the process to complete his final report, which will then be presented to me. I am told this will be very shortly but I do not have an exact timeframe. It has certainly moved on to the final stages where the report has been compiled. Once that process is complete, I understand the judge will submit it to me. Once I have received the final report, the advice of the Attorney General will be sought on publication.

I will conclude by restating in the clearest possible terms that neither the Government nor my own Department is in any way opposed to the possibility of a further inquiry or an independent inquiry into the case if that is what is recommended. However, the Deputy will understand, I cannot and do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the work that has been done and I appreciate that it is going on much longer than people would like. I know that this has been greatly challenging for Shane O'Farrell's family. I would like to see it completed as quickly as possible and not to be answering questions in here where I am not able to give a direct timeframe. I am assured that this scoping exercise is at the very final stages and that I will hopefully have it before the summer term.

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