Minister for Justice apologises to family of Noel Keegan

The Minister for Justice has today apologised to the family of Noel Keegan who died after he was attacked by a man unlawfully at large.

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern has today apologised to the family of Noel Keegan who died after he was attacked by a man unlawfully at large.

Minister Ahern says new security procedures have been introduced to ensure that prisoners are properly monitored from now on.

Mr Keegan died shortly after being assaulted by 24-year-old Martin McDonagh from Edgeworthstown in Co Longford in December 2009.

When Mr McDonagh was arrested it emerged he should have been in prison serving a four-year jail term imposed eight months earlier.

In the Dáil, Minister Ahern apologised for the errors made.

“No doubt all deputies will join with me in offering the family our sympathy on their terrible loss,” he said.

“I’ve already written to Mrs Keegan to say how sorry I am for the position in which her family find themselves, and expressed the great regret of all of the agencies involved for the failures in procedures which took place, and I do so again here, publically, in this House.”