Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)

As we have done for several years now, I welcome Lucia, Jim, Gemma, Pia, Aimee, Hannah and the extended O'Farrell family to the Gallery today. They are absolutely the family that would not go away, and I thank them for that, although I wish they did not have to make yet another trip to the House to try to secure justice for their son and brother Shane.

It was important that the truth of what happened that led to the death of Shane O'Farrell was outlined here today. Reading that into the record is important, but what is important is the why. I wonder as I sit here whether there are people who have spoken here today who know the why? The O'Farrell family deserve that.

Today's apology by the Government, although welcome, took far too long and has been an excruciating journey for Lucia and the O'Farrell family. The family have been forced to become campaigners for justice, meeting TDs, Ministers and successive taoisigh for years. If it were not for the tenacity, endurance and love of Lucia O'Farrell for almost 14 years, I can say with absolute certainty that this apology would not be happening today. The campaign for justice for Shane has uncovered appalling ineptitude and inexplicable actions in decisions made by An Garda Síochána, the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, the justice system and all of the agencies of the State that have been involved in this case. This family have been very badly let down by the systems that are supposed to protect citizens, and Shane O'Farrell paid with his life. He was a wonderful young man with a bright future ahead of him. The truth is straightforward. This should never have happened.

There are examples that were read out today of the complete incompetence that occurred again and again in this case. It is beyond comprehension that a beautiful young man, an upstanding member of the community on the cusp of making his way in the world, was killed by a criminal who fled the scene and who received a suspended sentence and a plane ticket home. It beggars belief that Shane O'Farrell was the victim not only of the man who killed him, but of the State that failed to protect him and then cruelly denied his family justice over and over again. I hope that for the O'Farrell family, today's apology brings some comfort. I know it does for other families. It brings some hope to those who right now search for the truth, those who are denied an inquest and those who are denied the truth. I refer to families like that of Joe Deacy from County Mayo who have waited almost seven years, which the Minister knows. I want Lucia O'Farrell and her family to know that whatever their decision is on how to proceed from this point, they will have my full backing and the continued support of the Sinn Féin Party. May Shane O'Farrell rest in peace. May Shane O'Farrell always be remembered.

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