Richard O'Halloran: 'I want to do everything I missed over the past three years'

Richard O'Halloran and his wife Tara with their children Ben, Amber, Isabella and Scarlett.

Irishman Richard O’Halloran has spoken of his joy at returning home to his wife and children and now wants to “do everything he has missed over the past three years”.

Mr O’Halloran had been prevented from leaving China for a number of years, and finally returned home to his family in January.

He had been in the country since travelling to Shanghai in February 2019 to try to resolve an ongoing commercial and legal issue involving the Chinese owner of the firm he works for, aircraft leasing company, China International Aviation Leasing Service (CALS Ireland).

The company’s chairman, Min Jiedong, is serving a prison sentence in China for fundraising fraud.

Mr O’Halloran had been denied an exit from China until the issue was resolved — even though he did not become a director of the company until after Min’s actions.

No charges were ever brought against Mr O’Halloran but he still had to wait until January 2022, when he was granted leave to return to his wife Tara and their four children.

Both Richard and Tara spoke to RTÉ’s Brendan O’Connor programme with Mr O’Halloran saying he now looks forward to “starting life all over again”.

“My life has been on hold for three years but Tara has had to bring up four kids on her own,” Mr O'Halloran said. 

It was almost like a forced divorce, which I would not wish on anyone.

Mr O’Halloran said that his kids have changed so much in the years he’s been gone while Ms O’Halloran described their joy as they were reunited.

“The kids keep poking him to make sure he is actually there,” she said. 

“It was absolutely the best day of our lives to see him standing there and the kids being able to hug him. It was amazing.” 

Ms O’Halloran also praised the change in her husband since his return.

“He has just come up with a positivity for life and for family. He’s appreciative of every little thing.” 

Mr O’Halloran recalled arriving in China with just a carry-on bag and described a number of low points in the last three years as he felt “very alone and isolated”.

He was even hospitalised at one point and required resuscitation. He also said he felt abandoned at times by the Irish government.

Ms O’Halloran said: “We did not even tell our close friends for some time." 

It was really awful to keep this deep dark secret from some people for almost a year.

“But we should not have had to fight for three years. I had to shout pretty loudly to get somebody to help us.”