We must not jump to conclusions before we know facts, warns McDowell

TÁNAISTE Michael McDowell yesterday said there were “very, very unique and unusual aspects” to the tragedy in Co Wexford and warned people about jumping to conclusions.

He said the Cabinet had decided that an independent investigation — but not a full public inquiry — would be established to find out what had happened and how State agencies responded.

He extended his condolences to the families of Adrian Dunne, and his wife, Ciara, who along with their two children Shania and Leanne were found dead at their home in Moine Rua estate in Monageer at lunchtime on Monday.

The Justice Minister confirmed he had asked for a report of an internal garda inquiry which had been set up to examine the facts.

He said there were “a number of issues” that had to be looked at, including the reasons why gardaí, who had been dispatched in a patrol car to the Moine Rua estate over the weekend, failed to call into the house.

Mr McDowell stressed there was key information in relation to the tragedy that was not public knowledge and urged people to hold judgement.

“It’s easy after an event to be 100% wise but you have to bear in mind that this case, in what preliminary indications I have received, has very, very unique and unusual aspects to it and ones I don’t want to go into now, because I don’t want to aggravate the grief of the families involved or to invade their privacy in any way.”

He said people had to be careful about the facts in the case.

“There’s no point in jumping to premature conclusions before we know the outline facts,” he said.

“What I’ve heard today from a briefing with An Garda Síochána leads me to believe that this was a very, very complex case, with a very, very complex background as well.”

The Tánaiste said he did not think there was “any finger pointing” going on between the gardaí and the Health Service Executive.

“If there is blame to be attached to anybody in all of this, if there is failure in systems or anything else, we have plenty of time to find that out, now is not the time to assume that just because a tragedy of this kind took place, that individuals personally responsible for it are to be pilloried in public and made scapegoats of in any respect.”