McGinley children's deaths: Mother Deirdre Morley unable to attend court today

A mother who was charged with murdering her young daughter and two sons who were found dead in their home in Dublin, was unable to attend a court hearing today.

The bodies of Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) McGinley were discovered in their home at Parson’s Court in Newcastle just before 8pm on January 24 last.

Deirdre Morley, their mother, was remanded in custody last week, with an order that she would receive a psychiatric assessment while in prison after she was charged with three counts of murder.

Ms Morley was found by a taxi driver near her house shortly before the children’s bodies were discovered. She was treated for a number of days afterwards at Tallaght University Hospital.

The children’s father Andrew McGinley arrived home at the same time that gardaí and paramedics reached the house. When they went inside, they found the three children dead.

Ms Morley, 43, a nurse at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, in Dublin, was due to appear again before Judge Ann Ryan at Dublin District Court today.

A sick note was produced by the Prison Service and furnished to the court.

Defence solicitor Jonathan Dunphy said he was aware and there was consent to a four-week adjournment.

Judge Ryan consented to a defence application to request continuing medical and psychiatric assessment as deemed appropriate. Mr Dunphy said there was an issue in relation to her fitness to face court.

Directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions were not yet available.

She was further remanded in custody in her absence to appear again at the same court on March 4.

“She made no reply in response to each of the charges and was handed a copy of charge,” Detective Sergeant Kenny had said at Ms Morley’s first hearing on January 29, five days after the death of her children.

The court had at that stage acceded to solicitor’s request to recommend continuing psychiatric assessment and assistance for the accused in custody.

Close to 1,000 people were at the Church of the Holy Family in Rathcoole, Co Dublin, last Friday for the funeral service of Conor, Darragh and Carla.

The district court cannot grant bail in a murder case

Their father Andrew McGinley delivered a eulogy to a packed church filled with friends and supporters of the McGinley and Morley families last Friday.