Commissioner sets up internal inquiry into garda response

GARDA Commissioner Noel Conroy yesterday set up an internal inquiry into how the force dealt with the tragedy in Co Wexford.

Justice Minister Michael McDowell said he had requested a copy of the inquiry report, once it was completed, and said it would feed into the independent investigation.

In a statement yesterday, garda spokesman Superintendent Kevin Donohoe said the commissioner had appointed Supt Pat Mangan of Kilkenny Garda Station to carry out the fact-finding mission.

The statement said Supt Mangan would “enquire into the handling of this matter by the gardaí”.

Supt Mangan is from a separate garda division but operates in the same garda region — the south eastern region — as Wexford.

Yesterday, Mr McDowell said: “The commissioner has told me Supt Pat Mangan is going down to Wexford to find out all the available facts and take statements from all the relevant witnesses.

“This is to allow the Garda Síochána, and indeed myself as minister and other ministers, to ascertain the facts as best we can arising out of these events.”

The Tánaiste said there were a number of issues that needed to be examined.

He said this included why a garda patrol car that had been dispatched to the Moine Rua estate to check on the Dunne household, on Friday and on Sunday, had driven around the area but didn’t call to the house.

The mother of Adrian Dunne, Mary, yesterday said someone should have contacted the family after her son and his wife Ciara had a meeting with an undertaker in New Ross last Friday.

Mary said Ciara and her son made arrangements for white coffins for their children and gave details as to what clothes — including Dora jeans — their children should be dressed in.

It is understood the undertaker informed gardaí in New Ross on Friday as well as Father Richard Redmond, who spent two hours in the Dunne house on Friday night.

The undertaker rang gardaí in New Ross again on Saturday. It was at this stage the information was passed on to gardaí in Enniscorthy. They rang the HSE that afternoon.

Child support groups and legal experts yesterday said gardaí needed to explain their actions in relation to the tragedy in Co Wexford.

Norah Gibbons of Barnardos said the gardaí should have rang the HSE and the GP on Friday, to tell them what was happening and see what they thought should be done.

Paul Gilligan of the ISPCC said the HSE and the gardaí should have worked jointly and that a risk assessment should have been conducted by the HSE. who, he said, had the “expertise”.