Martin Conway (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I wish the Senator all the best in having his car sorted out. It is a big problem.

We are back where we were previously, as the Minister rightly pointed out. This is a tragic case and nobody wants to be here discussing it. I again offer our sympathies to Lucia O'Farrell and her family, whom we met in Leinster House. Senator Gallagher welcomed the part of the Minister's speech when he stated he wanted there to be progress on the matter. I wish to correct that. The Minister wants the truth on the matter and the matter to be concluded, as does every Senator. An eminent judge has been appointed and has delivered an interim report to the Government, which is being considered by the Attorney General, the Minister and the Government, in conjunction with the family. The Government will abide by whatever recommendations are made when the judge delivers his final report. It will facilitate whatever type of inquiry Judge Haughton recommends but the process must be allowed to conclude.

One cannot just turn one's back on recent case law. If a Government did that, it would be accused of being negligent and of not respecting or taking into account judgments of the Supreme Court, and this will not happen. Nevertheless, a family is grieving, and needs and deserves answers. They deserve that this jurisdiction and its structures will deliver those answers. I hope the judge recommends a full inquiry but I will not pre-empt what he will recommend. I have no doubt he will recommend what, in his wisdom and vast experience over decades in the legal profession, he deems to be appropriate and likely to achieve a swift result.

I recall well when this tragic case happened because it was only two or three months after I was elected to the House for the first time. I was elected in May 2011 and it happened during the summer. It was terrible. I am an alumnus of UCD, like Shane O'Farrell. We were all horrified and it is horrific to think that somebody on bail, with all those convictions, would be in a position to cause such unspeakable grief for a decent family, who work hard and have always done their best and more.We have a responsibility to assist in bringing closure or finality to this. The Minister has chosen the most appropriate way to do that by appointing somebody who is independent and who will come back with recommendations. I have no doubt that when the recommendations come back, he will act swiftly. There is not much more to be said on the matter.