Meeting for those claiming to be victims of State negligence
FAMILIES expected to attend a meeting in Donegal today have stories with a common thread - they all claim to be victims of negligence or corruption on the part of State agencies.
Sinéad McDaid was travelling to the home of her mother-in-law in early June 2001. She was delivering a birthday present. As the 22-year-old was driving between Mallintown and Culdaff in north Donegal her car left the road and crashed into a culvert. She died at the scene.
Her father, Sean Farren, claims the accident was not properly investigated by either the gardaí or Donegal County Council. He claims his daughter lost control of the car mainly because of loose chippings on the newly resurfaced road and says there were inadequate warning signs.
Tommy Gallagher, from Achill Island, Mayo, lost his daughter Aisling earlier this year. She was driving along a temporary road surface at Mulraney in the county.
The dense bitumen macadam (DBM) surface, in the absence of any other dressing, tends to polish and became dangerous, particularly after rain.
Where DBM has been laid, the speed limit is generally 48kph. It was 100kph on the road that Aisling died on.
Donegal woman Susan Gray lost her taxi driver husband after he was struck by a young driver as he stepped out of his car. She believes the incident last December has not been adequately investigated.
While a file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, the family has already been told there is little chance of a prosecution and they have found out that the young driver was not breathlysed by investigating gardaí.
A number of members of the McBrearty family and associates will be at the meeting today. There are dozens of legal actions pending in relation to their case, a central part also of the Morris Tribunal into alleged corruption by members of the gardaí in Donegal.
The scandal followed the hit-and-run death of Richie Barron in October 1996. Members of the extended family and associates were arrested, including Mark McConnell and Frank McBrearty Jnr, who were accused of murdering Mr Barron.
Subsequently, Mr McBrearty Snr had more than 150 summonses issued against him in the District Court during what appeared to be a concerted campaign of intimidation against him and his family.
Others who played roles in the Morris Tribunal are expected to attend the meeting in Mr McBrearty’s night club in Raphoe.
Michael and Charlotte Peoples were the victims of extortion and hoax telephone calls, some of which were made from the home of a then serving garda.
Members of the Gallagher family are also likely to be at the meeting. They were the subject of false claims that they allowed explosives to be stored on their farm in Donegal.
Andrew Gillespie is also from Donegal. He is claiming to be the victim of a miscarriage of justice after he was sentenced to 12 years after explosives were discovered on his farmland in August 1993.
He claims the explosives were planted on his land.
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