I propose to take these four Private Notice Questions together.
I would like to offer most sincere sympathies on my behalf and on behalf of the Government to the family of Ms Riney on the tragic loss of Imelda and her son Liam, and to the family, fellow priests and to the Bishop of Clonfert, Dr. Kirby, on the tragic death of Fr. Joe Walsh following the extraordinary and horrific events of the past week in Clare and South Galway. It is a loss that has touched everyone in the country, as we were drawn together in a communal spirit of hope and prayer that they would be found alive, despite the growing fears. Sadly, it was not to be. Instead we are left with the deep shock and immense difficulty of making sense out of an awful and bizarre tragedy.
In the course of my statement I will be giving the House an account of the facts in my possession concerning the deaths which are the subject of these Private Notice Questions. Before I do this, I want to say something concerning the manner in which these events are portrayed publicly — by the media, in various statements that have been made by members of the public and so on.
I have already called for restraint all round in relation to the presentation of these events. For the avoidance of any doubt on the matter, I want to make it absolutely clear that, in calling for restraint, neither I nor the Government is suggesting that the media or anybody else must somehow be muzzled. It is a fact, as I witnessed for myself last night when the remains of Father Joe Walsh were brought to the church in Eyrecourt, that the public at large have been shocked by these appalling events, that people are grieving on a scale rarely seen and that there is a sense of helplessness, a feeling of inability to comprehend or cope with the awfulness of what happened in Clare over the past week or so.
It is perfectly understandable that commentators and the media should reflect this. However, there is the very real danger that in the midst of all that is said, comments will emerge and opinions will be publicly expressed which could have a result that would be the exact opposite to what everybody here and all good people outside this House would want, and that is that a person would be made amenable for these crimes.
Our courts, very rightly, set a high standard when it comes to deciding what does or does not constitute fair procedures. We have ample evidence that the courts here — and indeed in other Jurisdictions also — will attach considerable weight to a defence based on the proposition that the prospect of a fair trial has been jeopardised by publicity occuring at the time of the events leading to a prosecution. It is on this ground alone that I considered it my responsibility to call for restraint. I do so again so that Deputies will be aware of my concern and of my precise reason for concern on that score.
The point I have just made is highly relevant when it comes to providing the House with a chronology of events. Deputy Gay Mitchell has requested that I make a statement on the events leading up to the murders. I am sure he and everybody else in this House will understand that if I, as Minister for Justice, mention certain events of which I am aware and of which others are no doubt aware also, which have to do with the movement or behaviour of any identifiable person, there is the grave risk that this would be seen as coming very close to authoritative confirmation that that person's guilt or involvement in the deaths is already an established fact. No such fact is established at this time, no charges have been brought against any person but, as everybody knows, a full Garda investigation is under way.
Turning to the chronology of the events themselves, what I have at this time is a preliminary report from the Garda Commissioner, whom I have also met to discuss the matter. The information I am now giving the House is based on the Commissioner's report.
At about 12.30 p.m. on Friday, 29 April the late Ms Imelda Riney was seen driving her car approximately one mile from her home at Whitegate, along the Whitegate-Woodford Road. She had a passenger in the car. This sighting by a witness was reported to the Garda some four days later on Tuesday, 3 May.
At about 4.24 p.m. on Saturday, 30 April a report was received at Loughrea Garda Station that a car was on fire some miles into a forest. The Garda discovered the car that same day. It was completely destroyed and had no number plates. The chassis number was, in the words of the Garda report, "very difficult to bring up" which delayed identification of the vehicle.
On the same Saturday a person near Eyrecourt found a front number plate and bumper of a car in a gateway leading to a field. The number plate was from Ms Riney's missing car. This discovery was reported to the Garda some six days later on the afternoon of the following Friday, this is 6 May.
At about 11.00 a.m. on Sunday, I may the late Ms Riney's husband, Val Ballance, reported his wife's absence to the Garda in Scarriff. He agreed, following discussion with the Garda, to contact friends and associates in the hope that she had stayed with them.
At 3.00 p.m. on Monday, 2 May Mr. Ballance reported at Mountshannon Garda Station that he had not succeeded, since his previous visit to the Garda, in locating his wife and three-year-old son. He also reported that his wife's car was missing.
Shortly after 10.00 p.m. on the same day details of the missing persons and car were circulated to all stations from the communications room at Ennis Garda Station.
On Wednesday, 4 May the car which had been found burnt near Loughrea on 30 April was formally identified as that of Ms Riney.
At about 7.30 p.m. on Thursday, 5 May the late Fr. Joe Walsh was reported missing to the Garda by Fr. Glynn P.P., at Eyrecourt. The information was that he was last seen at about 11.55 p.m. on 3 May.
At about 11.14 p.m. on Thursday night, a report to the effect that Fr. Walsh was missing circulated to all stations from Galway Garda communications room.
At about 1.00 a.m. on Friday morning, 6 May, Fr. Walsh's car was found burning at Williamstown Harbour, Whitegate, by a local person. The Garda were called and identified the car.
At about 7.45 p.m. on Saturday, 7 May a body was discovered by a forester in the woods at Cregg Wood, Whitegate. The gardaí were notified and the body was later identified as that of Fr. Walsh.
Finally, and very sadly, at about 12.05 p.m. on Sunday, 8 May the bodies of a woman and child were found in Cregg Wood, Whitegate, by a team of searchers headed by a garda, in the vicinity of the area where Fr. Walsh's body had been found. The bodies were later identified as those of Imelda Riney and her son Liam.
I am conscious of the fact that various aspects of the Garda handling of this case have been the subject of unfavourable comment and I have already indicated publicly that the fact that criticisms have been made is the subject of concern to me.
On this issue there is need for care and for fair procedures. It is standard practice for the Garda, following major events of this kind, to investigate the procedures followed and the handling of the case and, where lessons are learned, to take the appropriate action. This will happen on this occasion also and I will receive a full report on the outcome. At that time I will make an assessment as to what further action may be required and I will make my conclusions on that issue known to this House.
Finally, I should of course explain that the investigation of the general handling of the case by the gardaí will not commence immediately. The immediate task of the gardaí at this point is to complete their investigation of the case in hand and endeavour to bring a person to justice. Nothing can be allowed to get in the way of that task and I am sure everybody here will wish to see the task successfully concluded.
