Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if there will be an independent inquiry into the deaths of persons (details supplied); and the reason their families are being harassed by the Gardaí. [24130/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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At the outset I should say that the tragic deaths to which the Deputy refers are unrelated save for the fact that both occurred following detention in Garda custody. The circumstances of the first case are quite different from those of the second case. In the first case, unlike the second case, all are agreed that the young man in question suffered serious injuries in a Garda Station.

In so far as the question of independent inquiries is concerned I have nothing to add to the positions as set out in my responses to Parliamentary Question No. 77 of 8 June 2006 and No. 409 of 6 July 2004 respectively. With regard to the second aspect of the Deputy's question, the information currently available to me is at variance with what the Deputy characterises as harassment. However, I am informed by the Garda Commissioner that an incident concerning the first family is the subject of an investigation by a Detective Superintendent from a Division outside the relevant area.