Jim O'Callaghan
Question:590. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice when a statutory inquiry into the death of a person (details supplied) will be commenced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23615/20]
View answerTuesday, 15 September 2020
Questions (590, 605)
Niamh Smyth
Question:605. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Justice the status of the steps she has taken to set up a public inquiry into the death of a person (details supplied), which was agreed to by a vote in Dáil Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23877/20]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 590 and 605 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, a retired judge, Gerard Haughton, is conducting a scoping exercise into the tragic death of the person in question, whose case has been discussed in Dáil Éireann on a number of occasions. The judge furnished an interim report to my predecessor on 13 November last. Following consultation with the family concerned, Judge Haughton and the Attorney General, the interim report was published on 17 December 2019.
In his interim report, Judge Haughton states that he will not restrict or limit the family in their submissions to him or the nature and extent of the documentation they wish to furnish to him in his scoping exercise.
I am glad to note that the family are working with Judge Haughton. My Department is in regular contact with the judge and has assured him of any assistance he requires to complete his final report.
It is of course open to the judge to make any recommendation he sees fit in his final report, including the establishment of any form of statutory or non-statutory inquiry. I will await the recommendation of Judge Haughton in his final report before making any decision in relation to further inquiries into this matter.