'Preferable if we had a cadaver dog', says justice minister amid concerns over Satchwell case

RTÉ News​

5 hours ago

Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan has said he raised concerns with the Garda Commissioner about how long it took to uncover the body of Tina Satchwell, who was murdered by her husband, and that it would be "preferable" if gardaí had a cadaver dog.
Richard Satchwell was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of his wife in their home in Cork in 2017.
It took more than six and a half years before gardaí discovered Ms Satchwell had never left their home at Grattan Street in Youghal.
Speaking on RTÉ's This Week, Minister O'Callaghan commended the gardaí for their investigation but he said it took a considerable period of time for her body to be uncovered.
Adding that he is expecting a report on this, he said: "There are very devious people out there. There are very devious murderers who go to a very great length to hide their crimes. That was the case with Richard Satchwell and it's also the case for the person responsible for the murder of Mike Gaine, who hasn't yet been apprehended."
He said he would have preferred that the body of Tina Satchwell was discovered sooner. "That wasn't done and I will get a report on that, but justice has been done in her case."
Asked whether a cadaver dog should have been used, he said probably this should have been the case. He said there was only one trained dog on the island of Ireland, used by the PSNI.
Asked if the lack of a cadaver dog was hampering garda investigations, he said he did not believe this was the case, but added: "It obviously would be preferable if we had a cadaver dog."
He said the animals only had a limited work life of around three years and had to go through a difficult training process.
Asked if this would be included in the funding for the Garda Dog Unit, he said it was up to the Commissioner how this money would be spent.
He said he hoped the person responsible for Michael Gaine's murder would be brought to justice and he said the gardaí were conducting a thorough inquiry and had a good reputation for bringing murderers to justice.
Last month, gardaí investigating the disappearance and death of 56-year-old sheep farmer Michael Gaine from Kenmare in Co Kerry said human tissue found on his farm had been identified as his remains.
Mr Gaine, also known as Mike, went missing from his farm on 20 March.
On Friday, .
He said he accepted that, "in hindsight", it may seem "very obvious" where Ms Satchwell's remains were located.
A report on the investigation will be furnished to Mr O'Callaghan and the Policing and Community Safety Authority, according to the commissioner.