There is concern in the Whitegate and Mount Shannon area of East Clare that an internal Garda inquiry into the force's handling of the Brendan O'Donnell case has still not been completed almost four years after the murder of Imelda Riney, her three-year-old son Liam and Co Galway curate, Father Joe Walsh.
At the time of the shootings, in Cregg Wood in May 1994, local people were outspoken in their criticism of the initial Garda handling of the case, claiming they did not act quickly enough after it was discovered that the Dublinborn woman and her son were missing from their home. Gardai at the time appeared to have been operating on the theory that it was a missing persons investigation and not a possible kidnap. Local people claim that they knew the identity of the man who was in Ms Riney's car within two days of her disappearance and offers of help to search the 200,000 acres of surrounding woodland were not taken up.
There was also criticism on the basis that the public was not told the man wanted for questioning was dangerous and had a stolen rifle in his possession. Local people also claim that the disappearance of Ms Riney and her son was played down until Wednesday, May 4th , three days after she was reported missing. They also complain that the Air Corps and Army were not called out to assist until it was revealed that Father Walsh was also missing.
There is also a suggestion that it took five days to identify the burnt-out shell of Ms Riney's beige Ford Fiesta car.
The Garda Press Office confirmed yesterday that an assistant commissioner was appointed by the Commissioner to carry out a review of the case in its entirety and that the review was not yet complete.
Brendan O'Donnell was convicted of the killings in April 1996 after the longest murder trial in the history of the State. He died at the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, on July 24th last.