Fr Niall Molloy investigation
Deputy Murphy cited a GSOC report criticising the investigation into Fr. Niall Molloy's death and asked whether anything further would be done. The Minister for Justice said the Garda investigation remained open and active, so no further Government action was appropriate at present.
Earlier this week, GSOC issued a scathing report into the deficiencies in the investigation of the death of Fr. Niall Molloy, which occurred in 1985. In 2015, the Fine Gael-Labour Party Government backed the DPP decision not to have a new inquiry into his death. Some 33 years on, his family and many people in County Roscommon are not happy. The programme for Government talks about a fair society for all.
In light of the GSOC report, which was released on Monday, I have two questions and I do not mind if the Taoiseach or the Minister for Justice and Equality answers. Can they inform the House if an investigation is ongoing into the death of Fr. Niall Molloy? Due to the seriousness of the information in the report that documents have gone missing, what does the Government intend to do now in relation to this case?
Comment on this
I assure the House, and the Deputy in particular, that there still is an ongoing Garda investigation into what is an open file. In the event that Deputy Murphy or any of his constituents have any information that might assist the gardaí in processing the issue further, I trust that the information will be forthcoming. I acknowledge the independent review undertaken by Dominic McGinn SC in recent times. As it is independent of Government, I do not have any grounds at this stage to take matters any further. It is the subject of a live and active Garda investigation.
