Dáil debates

Tuesday, 24 May 2022

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions

Inquiry into the Death of Mr. Shane O'Farrell

9:50 pm

Photo of Bríd SmithBríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance) | Oireachtas source

I have to accept the Minister's bona fides in this matter, as I have said. However, it is almost 11 years since the terrible killing of this young man. It should never have happened, as we all know. Had justice been applied as it should have been, the killer would have been in custody instead of being loose on the roads and able to carry out a hit-and-run killing. Many questions need to be answered by the State and the justice system. I hope the scoping exercise has attempted to answer many of those questions. However, if the Attorney General sits on the report for a long period, how will we in this House manage to push forward a result on behalf of Shane's family and, indeed, on behalf of all the families who are watching these kinds of inquiries because they, too, have felt a great injustice was done in cases that appertain to them? There has been a compounding of insult to the O'Farrell family by the delay in issuing this report. Some indication of how quickly the Attorney General will allow for its publication - or not, as he may decide - is needed. That decision needs to be given within a tight timeline. My view, of course, is that he absolutely must allow it to be published.

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