State apology for Shane O'Farrell's death was a 'very long time coming'
The sister of a Monaghan cyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run crash nearly 14 years ago has said the State apology from the justice minister was a "very long time coming."
Shane O'Farrell, aged 23, was cycling home on August 2 2011, when he was struck by a car in the Carrickmacross area of Co Monaghan.
A State apology was given by Jim O'Callaghan on Tuesday to the family for failures in the criminal justice system that exposed Mr O'Farrell to danger. Mr O'Callaghan also announced a review into bail and suspended sentences.
The driver of the car, Zigimantas Gridziuska, failed to remain at the scene. The Lithuanian national had a number of previous convictions, including theft and drug offences. He surrendered himself to gardaí the following day.
In February 2013, Gridziuska was prosecuted for dangerous driving, causing Mr O'Farrell's death. He was acquitted of that charge by direction of the trial judge, and, under the law at the time, a lesser charge of careless driving was not open to the jury. The Dáil heard on Tuesday that he has since returned to Lithuania.
(Left to right) Hannah, Jim, Lucia, Gemma, Aimee and Pia O'Farrell at Leinster House. Picture: Sam Boal/Collins Photos
However, Shane's sister said that while the apology from the State was a "long time coming", there are "still unanswered questions".
"It is a hugely significant day, but it was also a very sad day because it is the State accepting that what happened to Shane should never have happened," Hannah O'Farrell told RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Wednesday.
"That is something we have known ourselves for years, but I suppose it is different when the Minister of Justice is standing up and apologising for that on behalf of the State."
She added that if there had been an "apology forthcoming in the early years and we were provided with the answers that we were seeking, then that would have really helped our journey of grief".
"We just want to be a normal family and grieve in private, and we had to over the past number of years to get answers, engage with various state agencies, who treated us very badly in the process and also engage with the media, who helped us uncover some of the information."
"It has been a very long time coming, and I hope there is a learning from that on behalf of the State," she added.
However, Ms O'Farrell said there are unanswered questions, especially in regards to a Section 101 report that has not been provided to the family, which they hope will give them the "closure to grieve".
It is true that we do not know all the circumstances surrounding Shane's death, and I'd say a part of that is because we did all of this ourselves, and no state agency was coming to us telling us what happened. So there are unanswered questions.
"That does not diminish how significant the apology is because the apology is accepting that this shouldn't have happened based on the information that is known," she said.
"But in terms of unanswered questions, we engaged with the Gsoc process as part of our garda complaints, and the product of that was a Section 101 report which had been ordered by the then minister of justice, Alan Shatter, in the public interest.
"And that public interest report in our view should just be published on the website for the public, but it hasn't been provided to us and they're our complaints and we know it has been provided to named individuals, it's difficult to see why named individuals can look at that report when we can't and they're our complaint."
Shane was 'ready to enjoy life'
Speaking about her brother, Ms O'Farrell said: "I only realise now that Shane was only a child when he was killed. He had all the normal hopes and dreams for a 23-year-old."
Ms O'Farrell said her brother had just handed in his thesis on the Friday before he was killed and had sent a text with the Martin Luther King Jr quote 'Free at last' to the family after submitting it.
Shane O'Farrell
She said he was just "ready to enjoy life."
"He was ready to do a bit of travelling, watch a bit of rugby and have a couple of months of happiness and peace and get away from the books," Ms O'Farrell said.
"I would often think about where he would be now and what he would be doing now, and all the things and events that he has missed and the things we have missed because of him and the big absence that he is in our society.
"We remember him every day, but especially on days like yesterday and just how significant his loss is for us," she said.
Read More
The pain game: Families being forced to search for truth in pursuit of justice for loved ones
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Journal
14 hours ago
- The Journal
'We did nothing wrong': Irish activist arrested by Israeli police in West Bank to fight deportation
AN IRISH PRO-PALESTINIAN activist is fighting deportation from Israel after she was arrested by police in the occupied West Bank because 'she did nothing wrong'. Máire Ní Mhurchú, a 71-year-old woman originally from Cork who goes by the name D Murphy, was detained by Israeli forces in the village of Khallet al-Dabaa in the Masafer Yatta region of southern West Bank on Saturday. Murphy was arrested alongside Swedish woman Suzanne Björk, who has since been deported from Israel to Athens. The two women were arrested shortly after Israeli forces declared the village a 'closed military zone'. Speaking to RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Björk said she and Murphy arrived in the village of Khallet al-Dabaa on Friday. 'There was no sign visible that this was a firing zone and there were many other people there,' said Björk. 'We had previously spoken to the police and the Israeli army, and they at no point said that we weren't supposed to be there or asked us to leave.' Both women appeared separately in court for deportation hearings on Sunday and had been held in a detention centre at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. But while Björk decided to leave Israel voluntarily and is now in Athens in Greece, Murphy decided to challenge the court's deportation order. 'I was told that my visa had been cancelled and that I was now in Israel illegally, and I was detained,' said Björk. 'I signed a paper to say I was willing to take the first flight out, and so yesterday morning, I was put on a plane to Athens. 'D, however, decided to fight this deportation because we have done nothing wrong.' Björk said the accusations by Israeli police are 'completely false' and that D has decided to remain in detention to challenge the order. Murphy has since been moved from detained in Ben Gurion Airport to Givon prison in Ramla, according to the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). 'The lawyer is in touch with relevant authorities but we haven't managed to speak to her directly,' said an ISM spokesperson. 'We are awaiting to hear when she will be brought in front of a judge. 'Murphy and Björk were peacefully standing in solidarity with the community there when the arrest happened.' While Björk has been on previous visits to the West Bank, she said she had faced intimidation before but not arrest. Advertisement 'They're just trying to get rid of anyone who tries to document the reality of the occupation and the war crimes taking place,' said Björk. 'Soldiers bashing on the door' Björk said that when she and D arrived in the village of Khallet al-Dabaa, they witnessed 'some settler shepherds harassing the locals'. Björk said she filmed this incident and was then attacked and had her phone stolen. She then called the police and said she was told to make an official statement at the station the next morning. 'The next morning, we were woken up by soldiers bashing on the door, saying that we're in a place we're not supposed to be and we have 10 seconds to get out,' said Björk. She said the soldiers detained the two women and called the police. Björk said she explained to the soldiers that they had been planning on going to the police station to make a statement about the incident on Friday night and that the soldiers released them so that they could make their own way to the station. However, Björk said they were then stopped by a 'settler security guard'. 'He refused to identify himself and we waited for the police,' said Björk. 'The police ended up detaining us and taking us to the police station, where we were then arrested and charged.' Israeli police accused the two women of entering a restricted military area. Both women appeared separately in court for deportation hearings on Sunday. 'There was no sign visible that this was a firing zone and there were many other people there,' said Björk. 'We had previously spoken to the police and the Israeli army, and they at no point said that we weren't supposed to be there or asked us to leave.' Björk said the immigration officer also brought up charges alleging that the two women were 'threatening and humiliating soldiers and police'. 'D is a 71-year-old woman, I am a 48-year-old woman,' said Björk. 'We're not really threatening. We definitely wouldn't be threatening heavily armed men.' Murphy's son, Dale Ryan, yesterday said that his mother's only offence was 'observing crimes against Palestinian people.' -With additional reporting from Andrew Walsh Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
RTÉ News
18 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Irish woman held in Israel did nothing 'to warrant detention'
A Swedish woman who was arrested by Israeli authorities in the occupied West Bank along with Irish woman Deirdre "D" Murphy has said that they had not done anything to warrant detention and deportation. Suzanne Björk was detained by Israel with Ms Murphy and has since been deported to Athens in Greece after agreeing to get on the next available flight from Israel. Ms Murphy, who is 71 and originally from Co Cork, was volunteering with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), an activist group helping Palestinian residents in the occupied West Bank. ISM said Ms Murphy was arrested in the village of Khalet Al-Daba'a in Masafer Yatta in the southern part of the occupied West Bank. They were interrogated in a local police station accused of being in a military zone, as parts of Masafer Yatta have been designated by Israeli authorities a closed military zone since the 1980s. ISM said that 90% of the homes in Khalet Al-Daba'a have been demolished and residents are living in tents and caves. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, Ms Björk said that they were originally arrested for being in the wrong place. "They said we were in an area that we weren't supposed to be, in a firing zone. There was no sign visible that this was a firing zone. There were many other people there, including the settler shepherds and villagers, and other Israelis," she said. Ms Björk added: "There were many people there, there was no sign, and the night before we had spoken to the police and the Israeli army. They, at no point, said that we weren't supposed to be there, or asked us to leave." "We complied with all instruction. The charge in the end, they said we didn't leave when asked, we didn't show our ID, and this is completely false, because we did at every point." Ms Björk said that Ms Murphy was still being detained because she had decided to contest her charges, rather than agree to leave. "D is still detained. After we had done the immigration hearing, we had separate hearings, but I was told that my visa had been cancelled. I was now in Israel illegally and I was detained," she said. "Legally, there's a three-day turnaround for them to deport you, but I had signed a paper to say I was willing to take the first flight out. "I was put on a plane to Athens. D, however, decided to fight this deportation, because we had done nothing wrong. These are completely false accusations," Ms Björk said. "And so, she has remained in detention, waiting to see a judge, which I don't know when that may be," she added. Ms Björk denied claims that their behaviour while in detention was threatening. Ms Murphy was in a detention centre at Ben Gurion Airport. However, ISM said she will be transported to another facility to await a court hearing. "The immigration officer brought up charges, saying that we were threatening and humiliating soldiers and police," Ms Björk said. "D is a 71-year-old woman, I am a 48-year-old woman. We're not really threatening. We definitely wouldn't be threatening heavily armed men," she said. "They offered for us to leave voluntarily. We didn't think that seemed correct, because there would be no paperwork of this incident and we hadn't actually done anything wrong. We had just been in an area that we weren't supposed to be in, and that wasn't clear," Ms Björk added. Ms Murphy's son, Dale Ryan, who is also based in Swansea, told RTÉ News yesterday that his mother has been there for five weeks but has been volunteering in the West Bank for 20 years and considers many families in the area as friends. "She has been in good shape for her age, but I am worried about her health as conditions are difficult," he said. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said yesterday it is aware of the case and is providing consular assistance.
Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Irish Examiner
Ireland's animal welfare system is unfit for purpose and animals are suffering because of it
You smell it before you see it. Rotting straw. Faeces. Sour milk. The air inside an illegal puppy farm hits your throat like poison. Tiny puppies, barely more than bone, shiver in wire crates. Their mothers lie silent in the dark, bodies worn out, teats raw from relentless breeding. No daylight. No clean water. No kindness. And this is happening in Ireland. Right now. In sheds, garages, and backyards, hidden in plain sight. We don't need to look abroad for horror stories. We are living one. Ireland often describes itself as a nation of animal lovers. But behind that image lies a system on the brink, where cruelty too often goes unchecked and compassion is stretched to breaking point. Shelters are full. Rescuers are burning out. Animals are dying. Across the country, animal rescues are at crisis point. Dogs are being surrendered or euthanised in record numbers. These are not only strays, but pets bred for profit and discarded when no longer wanted. Common reasons include: 'Too much work.' 'Too rough with the baby.' 'No time anymore.' Ponies are mistreated in housing estates. Horses are dragged along national roads by children on e-scooters. These are dangerous acts that threaten both animal welfare and public safety. Inside unlicensed breeding operations, female dogs are bred over and over, sometimes re-impregnated just weeks after giving birth. The damage to their bodies and minds is immense. Picture: ISPCA Meanwhile, puppies bred in filthy sheds are sold through unregulated online platforms and private messaging apps. Some are taken in by irresponsible owners or used for more backyard breeding. In some reported cases, there are links to dog fighting. When breeding females are no longer profitable, they are quietly destroyed or abandoned. The public usually sees only a fraction of this, a Facebook post, a call for help. But behind every image is an exhausted volunteer, an unpayable vet bill, and a shelter with no room left. This is not a temporary crisis. It is a national abandonment. Inside unlicensed breeding operations, female dogs are bred over and over, sometimes re-impregnated just weeks after giving birth. The damage to their bodies and minds is immense. Under Irish law, anyone can keep up to five breeding females without registering as a dog breeding establishment. This loophole enables individuals to sell dozens of puppies every year with little oversight, often untaxed and unregulated. This is not care. It is industrial-scale reproductive abuse. Ireland is often referred to as the puppy farm capital of Europe, and with good reason. Legislative loopholes, low enforcement capacity, and political inertia all contribute to this ongoing cruelty. Political momentum is growing, but action is what matters. In recent months, a number of TDs have raised concerns in the Dáil: Labour Party TD Eoghan Kenny has called for a national plan to tackle horse abuse; Fianna Fáil TD Seán Ó Fearghaíl highlighted welfare issues in housing estates; Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O'Sullivan questioned enforcement failures in Cork North Central; People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy proposed a taskforce to shut down illegal breeding operations; Fianna Fáil TD John Lahart urged the appointment of a national director of animal welfare; Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe said: 'This approach to horse welfare is ludicrous, grossly unfair to the horses, and presents a woeful image of our towns and cities.' These are important voices, and their support is welcome. But statements alone won't save animals. We need enforcement, legislation, and real resources. Animal cruelty does not happen in isolation. It is a well-established warning sign for other forms of violence: In Ireland, 57% of women in domestic violence refuges report pet abuse by their partners; In the UK, 70% of domestic abuse survivors say their pets were harmed or threatened; In the US, the FBI tracks animal cruelty as a high-level offence. Ninety-six percent of offenders also face charges such as domestic violence or child abuse; In Canada and Australia, animal abuse is considered in child protection and domestic violence risk assessments. One encouraging initiative: the DSPCA now provides temporary foster care for pets belonging to domestic abuse victims. This trauma-informed service saves lives. But it is the exception, not the norm. We urgently need a coordinated national framework. The Department of Agriculture currently holds responsibility for both promoting animal industries and regulating their welfare. This structural conflict makes truly independent oversight difficult. Picture: ISPCA The Department of Agriculture currently holds responsibility for both promoting animal industries and regulating their welfare. This structural conflict makes truly independent oversight difficult. This is not an accusation. It is a call for reform. Enforcement must be independent, properly resourced, and free from commercial influence. Many gardaí want to act. But without a national structure, clear protocols, or proper training, they are often left unsure of what they can do, who to contact, or how to respond safely. We urgently need an animal welfare crime unit within An Garda Síochána. Such a unit would: Investigate and prosecute cruelty and illegal breeding; Track repeat offenders; Share data between shelters, councils, and gardaí; Integrate animal abuse into wider safeguarding systems. Ireland's animal welfare system is not just in crisis. It is collapsing. But the solutions are in plain sight. We need independent enforcement. Stronger laws. Reliable funding for shelters. Gardaí who are trained and empowered. And a commitment to treat cruelty not as a niche concern but as a sign of deeper harm in our society. If we fail to act, we're not just failing animals. We're failing ourselves. Because every day without action is another day an animal suffers in silence. Kerry Pollock is head of animal welfare advocacy at My Lovely Horse animal rescue Read More Gardaí investigate viral horse cruelty video after searching farmland in Co Tipperary
