Michael Mullins (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I rise today to seek the support of the Leader and the Minister for Foreign Affairs to have an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of a Galway man in Germany reopened. Matthew Fitzpatrick from Portumna in County Galway was aged 34 when he was found dead in his flat in Mannheim on 11 December 2010. The autopsy conducted by the German authorities indicated that he died by self-inflicted strangulation.

The family, however, had its suspicions and conducted its own inquiries and investigations. A second autopsy was conducted in Dublin on 18 December of that year when Matthew’s body was repatriated. It was carried out by the deputy State pathologist and raised several troubling questions which convinced the Fitzpatrick family that Matthew did not die by suicide but may have been the victim of a violent assault, given the range of injuries found on his body during the autopsy in Dublin.

The police investigators in Mannheim initially closed the case in December 2010 but, after much pressure from the Fitzpatrick family, the investigation was re-opened. In June of this year, the Mannheim authorities concluded there was no reason to change their view of what happened to Matthew. The public prosecutor in Mannheim disregarded most of the evidence submitted by the Fitzpatrick family but, more important, dismissed several aspects, including the autopsy conducted by the deputy State pathologist, Dr. Khalid Jaber.

The Fitzpatrick family want the Government to put pressure on the German authorities to further review the circumstances surrounding the death of Matthew who planned to be at home with his family in Portumna, County Galway, for Christmas 2010. The family is certain he did not take his own life in his apartment in Mannheim. They are determined to get justice for Matthew and would appreciate the support of this House and the Government in asking the German authorities to re-open this case.