Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 October 2021
526. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice the up-to-date position in relation to efforts to pardon a person (details supplied); the updated timeline regarding the future process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47893/21]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, representatives of the Michael O’Donohoe Memorial Project have gathered a considerable amount of material relating to this case, and I know the Deputy has taken a very close interest in this application.
As the Deputy will also be aware, in early 2020 the then Minister for Justice and Equality engaged an expert on nineteenth century trial law in Ireland for their expert opinion on the safety, or otherwise, of the conviction of Mr John Twiss. The report includes a detailed consideration of the murder of John Donovan, the trial of John Twiss and its aftermath. It also considers the prevailing standards and procedures in nineteenth century Irish trials.
I intend to bring this report to Government in the coming weeks and I will update the Deputy directly thereafter.
