Dáil set to pass a motion calling for public inquiry into death of Shane O’Farrell 

A scoping exercise, carried out by retired judge Gerard Haughton, recommended that an inquiry into Mr O’Farrell’s death was not needed.

However, cabinet decided on Tuesday to refer the report of the scoping exercise to the Oireachtas Justice Committee.

The committee will be asked to consider both the conclusions and recommendations of the report.

The final decision on whether to proceed with an inquiry lies with Justice Minister Helen McEntee.

Speaking at Leinster House ahead of the Dáil debate on the matter, the O’Farrell family said that any assertion that the scoping exercise published last year was complete and exhaustive is categorically untrue.

The Government has also decided to not oppose the opposition motion, which calls for an inquiry into the death of Mr O’Farrell.

The motion, brought by Sinn Féin, Labour, and Independent TDs Carol Nolan, Thomas Pringle, Violet Anne Wynne, and Joan Collins, will be voted on on Wednesday.

Addressing the Dáil, Sinn Féin’s Matt Carthy called out former justice ministers Charlie Flanagan, Simon Harris, and Helen McEntee for previously refusing to establish an inquiry.

The O’Farrell family has been campaigning for a public inquiry for over a decade seeking answers as to why Gridziuska was not imprisoned on the day of the fatal incident.

Lucia O’Farrell, Shane’s mother, said that they should not have to undertake such a lengthy campaign in order to get answers and justice for her son.

Every year, Ms O’Farrell tells her son that this will be the year they succeed in getting justice but every year justice remains out of their reach.

Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness said an inquiry is necessary, not just for Shane and his family, but so the public can have a justice system they can believe in.

“If democracy is to be served then what this house has called for and the senate has called for must be done,” Mr McGuinness said, adding that he would not rest until a public inquiry is held.

Doing anything else would be doing an injustice to the people and would be betraying Lucia and her family, he said.

The O’Farrell family said that by raising questions about the case and how it has been handled by An Garda Síochána, Gsoc, the courts, and the Department of Justice, they have been treated like enemies of the state.

The Lithuanian man had 34 previous convictions and had been on continuous bail since August 2009 despite breaking bail conditions on numerous occasions.

Had the appropriate steps been taken, and had the law been applied, the family said Gridziuska would have been in custody and could not have killed Shane.