The mother of a four-year-old boy who was killed in an accident at a Ballymun construction site has complained at an inquest that the family has been provided with little information concerning her son's death five years ago.
Joan Landy told Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday that the family did not know how her son died as the postmortem had not been released to them.
She also said she was unaware if he was killed instantly or died later at Temple Street hospital.
Alex Cuthbert, Eamon Ceannt Tower, Ballymun, Dublin, died in August 2001 when he was hit by a construction vehicle working on the Ballymun regeneration project.
Dublin city coroner Dr Brian Farrell adjourned the inquest for the eighth time yesterday as the Garda had failed to empanel a jury and as the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) was not present in court, despite notification.
The coroner's office had also not been provided with a copy of the verdict from the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court in relation to the incident.
Last May, PJ Carey Contractors Ltd was fined €40,000 and ordered to pay an estimated €12,000 costs at the Circuit Criminal Court in relation of breach of safety regulations that led to Alex's death.
Ms Landy said the family was frustrated that the case had been going on for five years.
"At this point I can't take any more," she said. "We psyched ourselves up for today and for the last number of years. We have no answers to anything.
"We're not entitled to any information and haven't been for 4½ years. We've been given no postmortem results.
"That's a disgrace. We've nothing. We want someone who is medically trained to tell us how he died."
Ms Landy added that she had to approach Temple Street hospital to try and find out if her son was killed instantly or died later at the hospital.
Mr Farrell said he shared her concerns and "I wish this inquest had been held a long time ago", but he had been forced to adjourn in many times upon request from the HSA when criminal proceedings were ongoing.
The coroner's office will now summons jury members through the Garda to appear before the court for the full hearing on May 3rd. Mr Farrell said he would again notify the HSA requesting its presence at the hearing.
Joe O'Hagan, director of PJ Carey Contractors Ltd, Wembley, Middlesex, England, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court last May on behalf of the company to a breach of safety legislation leading to the death of Alex Cuthbert on August 22nd, 2001.
Carey Contractors had initially denied six charges of breaching health and safety legislation.
However, it changed its plea shortly after a jury was sworn in for the trial.