Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

Like all other speakers, I welcome Jim and Lucia and their daughters to the Distinguished Visitors' Gallery this evening. I am glad the Minister made the apology on behalf of the State. It was overdue. His words were clear about the terrible injustice that was done to the O'Farrell family on the tragic loss of life of their son, who was killed by a person who should not have been at large at that time in 2011.

The Minister and other speakers outlined the litany of criminality the particular individual who took Shane's life was involved in. He had been before many courts, North and South. It was a litany of criminality that unfortunately led to the loss of life of a fine young talented individual from an excellent family.

The Minister, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and other speakers outlined in detail the huge amount of work the O'Farrell family, especially Lucia, did in itemising what happened. In doing that research, she outlined with great clarity the sequence of events and criminality and how the State failed Shane and his family.

Like many Members, I met Lucia and her family on many occasions. I still remember when, in her own house, she outlined in detail the sequence of events and non-appearance of this particular individual in the courts, North and South. It was with absolute clarity and down to the finest detail. I am glad the Minister recognised that in his contribution.

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle will recall himself, the Minister and myself having many conversations over the years regarding the need for the concerns of the O'Farrell family dealt with in the proper way. Unfortunately, it has taken considerable time to get to this position today but the Minister's statement is very welcome. Like other contributors to this debate, I again record the great grace and dignity in the way in which Lucia, her husband and their daughters went about campaigning, putting the truth before all of us and outlining again, with absolute clarity, the litany of convictions and criminality and how the State had failed Shane.

I take this opportunity to say Lucia and her family have done the State a great service in what has to have been awfully difficult circumstances to campaign for justice for a son who was taken away so wrongly by a criminal who should not have been at large at that time in our country or in any other country.

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