Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I first met with Lucia and her husband, Jim, some years ago when I was the justice spokesperson for my party. As a councillor, a Deputy and now as a Senator I met many families over the years who were seeking justice and answers but I do not think I have ever met a family with such a depth of love for their lost loved one. Their grief was so intense it struck me hard that day and it has never left me. We are here today because Lucia O'Farrell and her family are never going to stop until the full truth is reached and the absolute calamity of the criminal justice system in regard to what happened and the circumstances that led to this case are addressed.This was a whole-of-justice-system failing. It was not just a failing of numerous members of An Garda Síochána from the front line to the senior management; it was also a failure of our courts system, our prosecution service and of communications with our nearest neighbour in the North. When Mr. Gridziuska was before the courts in the North, An Garda Síochána was contacted by the PSNI to confirm his address and criminal record, which was done, but even then the alarm bells did not ring. This was a whole-of-system failing and to leave this to GSOC to investigate is an abdication of responsibility by the Government. The only way to get to the bottom of everything that went wrong is to conduct a public inquiry. I am proud to say, with Lucia and her daughter looking on from the Public Gallery now, having watched the Dáil vote earlier, that the elected Parliament of our people has sent a clear message to the Minister today. He must set up a public inquiry into all of the circumstances that led to the death of Shane O'Farrell.

It is quite devastating to listen to the full details. Lucia briefed a number of Senators before this discussion today. She has her briefing document with her now. It is a long scroll that one has to hold above one's head to read which outlines the catalogue of offences committed by Mr. Gridziuska in his home country, in our State and in the neighbouring jurisdiction. He broke the law over and over again and time and again he got away with it. He made a mockery of our justice system, our Courts Service and our policing service. We cannot bring back Shane O'Farrell or undo the heartbreak that has been caused to Lucia and her family but we can build a justice system that learns from its mistakes and sorts out its grave failings. These were failings of human beings and of systems that led to a catastrophe for the O'Farrell family.

The Minister must listen to the will of the people as voiced in the Dáil today. He must also listen to the voices in this House who are telling him that, with all due respect to GSOC, which has a role to play, this case is not for that organisation alone. This needs a full public inquiry. I wish to focus on GSOC for a moment. There are serious lessons for us here. It took six years for its report to be finalised but it is just not up to specification. It is terrible and there is no getting around that. It does not ask the hard questions of An Garda Síochána.