26-05-2025
Daniel McAnaspie's sister calling for State apology over death
The sister of Daniel McAnespie has called for her family to receive a State apology for failings in the protection and care of her brother, who was 17 years old when he was murdered while in State care.
"They [the State] need to be held accountable. We never got a sorry, we've never been offered support or help in 15 years," said Cathriona McAnaspie.
In February 2010, Daniel McAnespie was stabbed to death at Tolka Valley Park near Blanchardstown.
His badly decomposed remains were found in a deep drain on a farmer's land in Rathfeigh, Co Meath, two months later.
Speaking on RTÉ's Oliver Callan programme today, Ms McAnaspie said: "It's 15 years, they probably thought we were going away, but we're not going away. We're still fighting for Daniel's voice and we will continue to do that."
Two weeks ago, the jury at an inquest into Daniel McAnespie's death recommended the State carry out an urgent review of its approach to child protection and welfare.
Returning a verdict of unlawful killing, the jury also made a number of other recommendations that, if implemented, could lead to changes in the delivery of child protection and education services.
Ms McAnespie said that she agreed with this, as there are still children waiting for State care accommodation in 2025, and in her view nothing has changed in 15 years, only that Tusla has taken over the role from the HSE.
She said that the lack of beds was "shocking" and that it was time for Tusla to "wake up" and help these young children.
Originally from Finglas in Dublin, Daniel 'Dano' was one of six siblings. He and his siblings, along with their mother, entered a State care home after their father died of a heart attack on Christmas Day in 1996.
Shortly after this, their mother turned to alcohol which saw her removed from a care home. Although she went to rehab and tried to return, she later died from addiction.
Ms McAnespie explained that after their mother died, the children started playing up and missing school and eventually were taken out of the care home one by one by the HSE.
She said that Daniel found it very hard to separate as they were all very close to one another.
She later ended up at a girl's hostel in Ballymun in Dublin, and turned her life around with the help of a social worker who encouraged her to do her Leaving Certificate, being the first McAnaspie to do so.
She said that problems began for Daniel when he was moved around, with records showing he had more than 20 care placements in the 15 months prior to his death.
She explained that he felt he was a burden to his family and he wanted security, but that the family did not know that he had had a suicide attempt until it was brought up during the inquest. They also did not know that he had PTSD.
"He knew himself he needed help and he wanted the help," she said.
She said that her brother did not die over drugs or owing a debt, he was randomly attacked.
Before his death, there were three or four applications for accommodation in a secure unit but all were refused, and there were no beds available for him.
"What child asked to be locked up? He wanted help and that was the only way out: lock me up, help me," she said.
She said that although she knew her brother was in danger, hanging around where he was in the city, she never thought he would be murdered and it came as a shock.
She described the men involved in her brother's murder as evil.
