'New lines of enquiry' into killing of Clara youth
The Garda Commissioner has said the investigation into the Belturbet bombing, which killed 16-year-old Clara youth Patrick Stanley and Geraldine O'Reilly (15) from Cavan, has made “significant progress”.
The bombing, along with the Dublin-Monaghan attacks that killed 33 and injured nearly 300, remains one of the most tragic unresolved events of the border conflict.
Commissioner Justin Kelly emphasised that gardaí have opened “new lines of inquiry” and are determined as ever to pursue justice.“That work will continue. It’s difficult work, but we have to be meticulous. We have to do everything we can to try and get justice for these families,” he said.
This was Kelly’s first public address on the Belturbet case, and he assured the public that the investigation is being taken with the utmost seriousness.
“We will leave no stone unturned,” he added. “This is complex, and it’s not straightforward, but, of course, we do everything we can from An Garda Síochána to make sure that we have everything we need to progress that. We have made progress in that investigation. We’ve had significant progress, opening a number of new lines of enquiry.”
He was speaking at the 2026 Cross-Border Policing Conference in Cavan's Farnham Estate hotel on Monday, where Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan announced proposed new legislation which could enable vital information sharing in unresolved legacy cases, including the 1972 Belturbet bombing and the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings.The Minister said the proposed legislation will undergo pre-legislative scrutiny by an Oireachtas Committee. He confirmed plans to publish the “general scheme” of the bill by May, with hopes it could be enacted “by the end of the year” at the latest.
“Both governments are committed to ensuring that legislation is put in place to ensure that Troubles-related killings can be investigated in order to try to provide some answers to families,” Minister O'Callaghan said.
The legislation, which mirrors a similar proposal in the UK, could pave the way for the PSNI and An Garda Síochána to access information previously restricted by legal and jurisdictional barriers.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, who also spoke at the conference, reaffirmed his commitment to co-operation on legacy cases.
“I think it’s incumbent on all of us to make sure that your families get the information they deserve,” Mr Boutcher said.
“I've been very clear about new legislation, that I think there are impediments in place about unfettered access to information. So, we’re not there yet.”
If passed, the planned legislation could represent a watershed moment in the fight for transparency and accountability for victims of the border conflict, allowing for the sharing of sensitive details that have long been tightly guarded by both jurisdictions.