Written answers
Wednesday, 4 November 2020
Department of Justice and Equality
Inquiries into Garda Activities
Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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103. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if an end date can be provided to persons (details supplied). [33954/20]
Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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104. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if an enquiry into the death of a person (details supplied) is continuing during lockdown [33955/20]
Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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105. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of extensions of the end date made to an inquiry (details supplied); the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33956/20]
Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein)
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106. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if she will meet a family in relation to the death of a person (details supplied); and the inquiry into their death; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33957/20]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 to 106, inclusive, together.
I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to the family of Shane Tuohy and I am very conscious of the hurt and pain caused to them by the loss of Shane.
In May 2017, Judge Donagh McDonagh was appointed by the then Minister to undertake an Inquiry into the conduct and adequacy of the investigations conducted by An Garda Síochána into the death of Mr Tuohy in February 2002 in Clara, County Offaly.
This was one of five Inquiries established by the Minister at that time following a recommendation from the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM). While the original timeframe for this work was six months, it was not possible for the Judge to conclude the Inquiry in that time. In light of this, specific extensions have been granted to the Judge, as outlined below, with the most recent granted by my predecessor as Minister on 16 June 2020 until 31 December 2020.
| Date of Minister’s Decision | Extension Granted |
|---|---|
| 16/06/2020 | Extension granted until 31/12/2020 |
| 04/10/2019 | Extension granted until 30/06/2020 |
| 27/06/2019 | Extension granted until 31/12/2019 |
| 28/01/2019 | Extension granted until 30/06/2019 |
| 03/07/2018 | Extension granted until 31/12/2018 |
| 23/01/2018 | Extension granted until 30/06/2018 |
| November 2017 | The then Minister extended the deadline for submission of the final report without specifying a revised date and asked for an updated report in order to determine a revised date. |
I am informed that Judge McDonagh continues to work on the Inquiry though I understand that the COVID pandemic has delayed his work, in that the Judge has been unable to hold any further interviews for the time being.
I hope to be able to receive the report from Judge McDonagh as soon as he has completed his work.
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