Sarah O'Reilly (Aontú)

I commend the O'Farrell family on the constant and dignified efforts they have made to ensure there is justice for Shane O'Farrell as well as reform in our judicial system. To think that 14 years on the family is only now getting an apology from the Government is heartbreaking. Their son's killer had 40 previous convictions and he should have been in jail when Shane was killed. The Courts Service of Ireland stated that his prison sentences were never served because of administrative error. Shane's killer had 12 convictions from Lithuania but nobody checked his criminal record before he came into Ireland in 2004. This is something that is still a huge issue in this country today. He ran amok for two years, walking in and out of District and Circuit Courts. He consistently broke the law and yet remained free through years of incompetence, negligence and ineptitude by the State agencies. The Courts Service has admitted that, in error, it filed away the appeal papers and the appeal was never heard. Shane's killer never served his sentence. Had this error not taken place, he would have been in custody on the day he killed Shane. It is truly heartbreaking for any parent to have to bury their child. It is a pain many of us would be incapable of understanding. Shane O'Farrell was failed by the courts, the Probation Service, the Garda and the Department of Justice. Those same State agencies are failing this family to this day. The State has been no help. If anything, it has heaped trauma on top of trauma on this family. I welcome the apology today. However, apologies are all well and good, but accountability is what is needed. We need a public inquiry into Shane O'Farrell's death. This is the only way to bring peace to his family and at last get a meaningful sense of justice for Shane and his family.