Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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442. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he has already received, or if not, if he will request as a matter of urgency the report of the formal review by the Garda Serious Crime Review team in to a murder enquiry (details supplied) in 1985 in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20250/13]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Garda authorities that the examination surrounding the circumstances of the death of Father Niall Molloy is almost complete and that a report of this examination is expected to be submitted to the Commissioner sometime in May. Upon receipt of a report from the Commissioner I will review the situation.

I understand that the officers carrying out the examination are continuing to keep the family members of the deceased updated on progress. While I fully appreciate the concerns of the family, in any case where criminal behaviour is suspected it is only through a Garda investigation, and where evidence of criminal wrongdoing is available through the submission of a file by the Gardaí to the Director of Public Prosecutions, that persons can be brought fully to account.

Therefore, I hope that the Deputy will agree that, in the first instance, we need to allow the present Garda examination to proceed to its conclusion.