Mattie McGrath Condemns Justice Cover-Up in Shane O'Farrell Case
Mattie McGrath spoke in the Dáil about the death of Shane O'Farrell, accusing the criminal justice system of multiple failures and urging a full public inquiry. He praised the perseverance of Shane's family and criticised the Department of Justice and the minister for alleged cover-ups and intimidation.
Dáil and Senate votes
On 14th of June 2018, a majority of Dáil members voted in favour of a motion calling for a public inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell, followed by a unanimous vote in the Senate. McGrath argued that current terms of reference do not satisfy the Dáil resolution or the needs of the O'Farrell family.
Family perseverance and scoping exercise
McGrath saluted Shane's mother, father and four sisters for their long and determined perseverance. He noted that a scoping exercise drafted by former Judge Gerard Hawken, who consulted with the O'Farrell family, reflects the spirit of the Dáil resolution and that the family considers nothing less acceptable.
Allegations of cover-up and system failures
He accused the judicial system of caring nothing for the truth and of hiding facts, calling the situation "a scandal of the highest order" and saying there were "multiple failures" of the criminal justice process. McGrath also alleged cover-ups and intimidation within the prison service and criticised an individual who had been stopped by guards an hour beforehand and who "should have been out of the country and was wanted in other jurisdictions."
Calls for accountability
McGrath demanded that justice must be done and be seen to be done, saying ministers should "hang their heads in shame" and describing the state of parts of the Department of Justice as "very rotten." He expressed support for the family and their neighbours and pressed for meaningful action to resolve the issues raised in the O'Farrell case.
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Ola, I want to first of all the kid or she used to wake us called and talk to Callaghan. Thank you, Deputy Callaghan for bringing this motion forward here tonight and happily welcome Shane's mum and dad and four sisters here tonight. This motion here before us this evening is a testimony yet again to the loving and determined perseverance of Shane's mother, father and sisters and I salute them. It is a scandal of the highest order that such efforts have been made repeatedly to try and bring into the light the full facts as they relate to the tragic and untimely unavoidable death of a young man, this young man. Where would we be if Shane's mother and family had allowed themselves to be beaten down by the weight and might of a judicial system that seems to care nothing for the truth? I mean that minister, don't say it lightly. And only concerns herself with hiding the facts. On the 14th of June 2018 a majority of the Dáil members voted in favour of a motion calling for a public inquiry into the death of Shane O'Farrell. This was followed by unanimous vote in the Senate. Support for this motion demonstrated that the majority of Dáil and Shane O'Farrell were and are satisfied with the investigations established to establish the full facts surrounding the multiple failures of the criminal injustice process to prevent the death of Shane O'Farrell. Multiple failures. You should hang your head in shame, Minister. This motion here before us this evening is a testimony yet again to the long and determined perseverance of Shane's mother and his father and sisters. And calls on the government to acknowledge the pattern of justice equality's terms of reference do not address the needs of either the O'Farrell family or the resolution of the Dáil 14th of June 2018. And in terms of reference for the scoping exercise as drafted by former Judge Gerard Hawken who consulted with the O'Farrell family and they appreciate that which in terms reflect the spirit of the resolution of the House and they are laid before us. Nothing less than this would satisfy Shane O'Farrell's family and they are right. And I salute them. I salute Mrs. O'Farrell because they are doing this they will never have Shane Young's life restored to them. But they are doing this in the interest of other families and other people. I won't call it an accident. It was an incident of outrageous proportions to be stopped by the guards only an hour beforehand. This person who should have been out of the country and was wanted in other jurisdictions. Disgraceful. And that's going on under your nose day in day out, Minister. And we had Deputy Greenish today stand up here. And I hate to digress. I talk about a situation of scamming in this country. Of money being exported. And we were all shouted down as racist. We're not racist. If Adam you're racist against your own people. This man shouldn't have died. And his family shouldn't have to beg and scrape and borrow. And I support his neighbours who came with her last week, Mrs. O'Farrell outside the gate. And we met them at a very early time independence. You didn't want to know him or meet him. All promises. Empty promises. Justice must be done. And not only must be done, but it was seen to be done. And it's not been done. There's something very rotten, Minister. Sincerely rotten, Minister. In your Department of Justice that you're involved in. It's not only this. It's in the prison officers. Cover up after cover up. Bullying, intimidation. Very rotten in the state of Denmark. Very rotten in the Department of Justice. And you know that, Minister. You're going out of it very shortly, I suppose, when the next election will be. But you should stand up as a proud cockman and say, what's going on? The cover ups, the slime, the bullying, the mistreatment of ordinary people. It's disgusting day in the out. We saw it in the gallery in the corner with our friend from Cavan. It's going on in the prison officers. Unbelievable intimidation. Intimidation of good people. And you sit idly by and let it go ahead. You should be hanging your heads in shame. I'm shocked there.
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