Paul Murphy demands independent inquiry into Terence Wheelock
Paul Murphy raises the case of Terence Wheelock and asks whether the government will finally agree to the family's request for an independent inquiry into his death. He also asks when regulations will be implemented to allow Diamond Park to be renamed the Terence Wheelock Memorial Park as requested by the community.
What happened to Terence Wheelock
Family, friends and supporters held a public rally on Saturday after Terence Wheelock left home 21 years ago, was arrested by the Gardaí and brought to Stour Street Garda station where he sustained fatal injuries and never returned home.
Concerns about the custody record and evidence
Murphy highlights that the cell was renovated and repainted rather than preserved for investigation, photos show bruising and cuts not present at arrest, clothes were heavily bloodstained, custody records were altered and there are questions over the time frame before an ambulance was called.
The demand to government and the memorial park request
He asks the Taoiseach whether the government will concede to the family's call for an independent inquiry and presses for the Minister for Justice to implement regulations to permit renaming Diamond Park as the Terence Wheelock Memorial Park, a change sought by the local community.
Government response and next steps
The Taoiseach thanked the deputy for raising the issue, said he will discuss it with the Minister for Justice, raised the need to consider types of inquiry given the many lengthy inquiries to date, and committed to come back to the deputy after seeking answers on behalf of the family.
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Family, friends, and supporters of justice for Terence Wheelock were on the streets on Saturday. Terence was a young man who left his home 21 years ago, was arrested by the Gardaí, was brought to Stour Street Garda station, where he received fatal injuries from which he never recovered and never came home again. After that, his cell was completely renovated and repainted instead of being preserved for investigation. The photos show substantial bruising and cuts that were not on Terence's body when he was arrested. His clothes were heavily bloodstained, changes were made to his custody record, and there were significant problems with the time frame between the supposed incident and an ambulance being called. The question for the Taoiseach is whether the government will finally concede to the family's request to have an independent inquiry into the death of Terence Wheelock. I'd also ask the minister, ask the Taoiseach, when his minister is going to implement the regulations to allow the renaming of the Diamond Park into the Terence Wheelock Memorial Park as wanted by the community. First of all, I thank the deputy for raising the issue. I will discuss this with the Minister for Justice in terms of the issues that you have raised. And again, you've called for an independent inquiry, but again, I think we'd have to discuss that in terms of types of inquiry. I mean, we've had many inquiries. They've taken an inordinate length of time, too. And I would talk to the minister and see, can we get answers, I think is a more important point for the families, for the family concerned here. And it has been a long length of time. But I would talk to the minister and come back to the deputy.
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