Two people were released without charge last night after being questioned in connection with the death of Co Wexford woman Evelyn Joel earlier this month.
The pair, a man and woman in their 30s, were arrested at a house in Enniscorthy yesterday morning and held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act. They were held for an initial six- hour period before their detention was extended for a further six hours.
The pair, who are from Wexford, were questioned throughout yesterday on suspicion of criminal neglect.
Senior Garda sources last night told The Irish Times that the man and woman had been interviewed in recent weeks after they voluntarily went to speak to detectives about the circumstances surrounding Mrs Joel's death.
They were formally arrested yesterday because gardaí wanted to put a number of things to them which have arisen in the course of their month-long investigation.
Around 30 people have been interviewed to date, including the dead woman's family members and several health workers.
Up to 50 people are expected to be interviewed before a file on the matter is sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). This is not expected to happen for a number of weeks because of the extent of the investigation.
Garda sources said there was no significance in the timing of yesterday's arrest.
"We have known for a while that we would have to bring them in at some point and question them formally and record the interviews and that is what happened yesterday," said one source.
Evelyn Joel (58) was admitted to hospital on New Year's Day in an emaciated state and died six days later.
A Garda spokesman said she had been found "in a bed in absolutely horrendous circumstances" after a doctor was called to the house she shared with her daughter Eleanor, Eleanor's partner, and their children.
After Mrs Joel's death, gardaí visited the house at Cluain Dara, Enniscorthy, and conducted a forensic examination.
Separately, the Health Service Executive announced an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death, which the Tánaiste, Mary Harney, said had been the result of "appalling neglect".
Mrs Joel was bedridden with multiple sclerosis and arthritis, but the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland had no knowledge of her case.
A brother and sister of the dead woman, Tom and Maureen Connolly, said they had been totally unaware of her recent circumstances because they had not been allowed to visit her for several months.
Eleanor Joel said she had asked her mother to go into a nursing home, but "she was stubborn and very headstrong" and would not co-operate. Ms Joel, who is several months' pregnant, called a doctor on January 1st. She said her mother's last word to her was "no" when she told her an ambulance would be coming.