‘We want justice for Shane’

The father of Shane Tuohey his voiced his anger at being excluded from the inquiry into his son's death in 2002.

The remains of the 23-year-old from Rahan were discovered in the River Brosna seven days after he disappeared following a night out in Clara on February 2, 2002.

His family believe that Shane was assaulted on the night of his disappearance and have spent the last 16 years campaigning for a full re-investigation into his death.

In 2016, the then Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald announced that there would be an independent, non statutory inquiry into Shane's case after it came before the Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), which was established in 2014 to consider allegations of Garda misconduct.

This type of inquiry differs from a commission of investigation, which is established to examine matters of urgent public concern, and a tribunal which is held in public. The special inquiry, held in private, was established to look at one particular investigation and the circumstances around it.

Three years on, Shane's father Eamon says that he and his family have become increasingly frustrated by the lack of information they have received from the inquiry. Their requests to attend have also been denied.

Any information that the Tuoheys have received about the inquiry has been though unofficial channels.

“You have an inquiry where you are not allowed to go, or know who is going to be called. You don't know when it started. We were told it was going to be over in December and it's not over yet.”

Mr Tuohey says that regardless of the findings of the inquiry, he and his family will continue their fight for a new investigation into the circumstances of Shane's death. He also claimed that in recent months his family have received further information regarding his son's death, which they will reveal when the inquiry is completed.

“We have no hopes whatsoever [relating to the inquiry],” Eamon continued.

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