Grangegorman inquiry awaits legal response

Dail Report: The Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, will make a final decision about a public inquiry into the Grangegorman double murder when he receives a response from lawyers for the sister of one of the victims.

The issue was raised a number of times in the Dáil yesterday following the publication by the Garda Commissioner of an apology to the family of the late Mr Dean Lyons, the man wrongfully charged with the murders in 1997 of Ms Sylvia Sheils and Ms Mary Callinan.

Solicitors for Ms Sheils's sister, Ms Stella Nolan, had written to the Minister asking for a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the deaths and based the request on the European Convention on Human Rights and the protections it offers.

Ms Nolan repeated her appeal for an inquiry on radio yesterday following the apology to the Lyons family.

The Minister of State, Mr Ivor Callely, told the Independent TD, Mr Tony Gregory, that in view of the matters raised by the solicitors and to assist Mr McDowell "in his consideration of the request, he has asked the solicitors to outline in further detail the reasons they consider a public inquiry to be necessary, and I understand that a full response has not yet been received by him".

Mr Callely was speaking for the Minister, who was abroad on Government business.

Mr Gregory, who has previously raised the issue a number of times in the Dáil, said he supported the plea by Ms Nolan for the inquiry.

He said the murders had shocked everyone, and it would be difficult to imagine two more vulnerable victims than these two unfortunate women living in sheltered health board accommodation in Grangegorman.

"If for no other reason than the extreme callousness of the murder of these two innocents, this case should be brought to finality, the person or persons responsible prosecuted and justice be seen to be done," the Dublin Central TD said.

Earlier the Labour Party leader, Mr Pat Rabbitte, asked in the Dáil if the Minister for Justice would make a statement "that is more explanatory than a straightforward apology".

The murders remained unsolved, and there was a necessity for a more detailed explanation of how it happened that Dean Lyons had been wrongfully charged, he said.

The Tánaiste, Ms Harney, who shared the concern that the murders remained unsolved, said she believed the Minister would not have a problem dealing with the issue in the House at a later stage.

Mr Gregory asked why the second man to admit the murders, Mark Nash, was not charged. He subsequently withdrew his confession.

Mr Callely said an assistant Garda commissioner had reviewed all available evidence and concluded that the manner in which Mr Lyons had been interviewed complied with the provisions of the 1984 Criminal Justice Act.