Report into death of cyclist killed by driver out on bail due 'shortly'
Lucia O'Farrell mother of the late Shane O'Farrell, 23, who died in a hit-and-run just outside Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan on August 2, 2011. The man who struck Shane, Zigimantas Gridzuiska, 39, from Lithuania, had 42 previous convictions in three different jurisdictions and was out on bail at the time. Picture: Philip Fitzpatrick.
A report into the death of Shane O’Farrell, a Monaghan cyclist killed by a driver out on bail, will be delivered "shortly", the Dáil has been told.
Justice Minister Heather Humphreys said that a long-delayed scoping exercise into Mr O'Farrell's death will be delivered soon.
Sinn Féin Justice Spokesperson Martin Kenny said that the scoping exercise was established by former minister Charlie Flanagan in February 2019 and has seen "delay after delay".
Ms Humphreys said Mr O'Farrell's death was a "terrible tragedy" and said that judge Gerard Haughton was conducting the scoping exercise to see if another investigation beyond what has been carried out needs to be carried out. She said that Mr Haughton had made an interim report in November 2019.
She said that Mr Haughton had requested extensions to "ensure the family's concerns are followed through to the greatest extent possible".
"The issue here is how long is shortly?," Mr Kenny asked.
He said that the O'Farrell family had waited for answers for a number of years. He said that their trauma was "multiplied" by the fact that the man who hit Mr O'Farrell with his car "was at large and should have been in custody".
On the evening of August 2, 2011, Mr O’Farrell was cycling home when he was struck by a car driven by Zigimantas Gradzuiska near Carrickmacross in Co Monaghan.
Gradzuiska had previous convictions for offences including aggravated burglary, road traffic offences and the handling of stolen property.
Later in the questions, People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny asked Ms Humphreys if she would examine the prospect of a public investigation into the shooting by gardaà of George Nkecho in Blanchardstown in late December.
As minister, Ms Humphreys said, it would not be appropriate for her to comment on the ongoing GSOC investigation which she said would be "full and impartial" and said that GSOC is "fully independent" in its operations and could make wider conclusions about events it investigated.
She said that gardaà in Blanchardstown will be involved in the establishment of a diversity forum which she hopes will strengthen links between gardaà and black Irish people in the area.
Mr Kenny said that there has to be a public inquiry for the purposes of trust and transparency.
His colleague Paul Murphy raised the issue of Trevor Wheelock, who died 16 years ago this week, three months after being taken into garda custody. Mr Murphy said that gardaà contend that Mr Wheelock attempted to hang himself, but the family does not accept this.
Ms Humphreys said that an inquiry is not being considered at this time, which her Department has communicated to the Wheelock family.
Mr Murphy said the GSOC investigation into Mr Wheelock's death was "problematic" as it was led by a former garda who had worked at the Fitzgibbon Street station. He said that significant discrepancies arise between the official investigation and what the Wheelock family contends. He said that the cell Mr Wheelock was held in was immediately renovated and said that the official narrative around the death did not make sense.
Ms Humphreys said that she cannot interfere in investigations which have already been carried out and said that while she was "sorry for the pain" Mr Wheelock's family has endured, it would not be appropriate for her to meet with them.
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