Garda sources have confirmed that the confession to the double murder of two women at Grangegorman, in Dublin, which has been made by a man facing other serious charges, contains an important detail which has never been made public.
The confession was made some time after another man, Mr Dean Lyons (24), from Tallaght, Dublin, was charged with the murder of one of the two women psychiatric patients at Grangegorman.
The second man confessed while gardai were questioning him about other serious offences.
A senior garda involved in the Grangegorman investigation yesterday said no move to release Mr Lyons was imminent. He confirmed the investigating officers were "looking at" the second man's statement but would give no further indication of what course the case is likely to take.
Garda sources said the second man, who had already admitted other serious offences, made a very detailed statement about the Grangegorman murders.
It is said to contain a detailed account of the stabbing to death of the women in the bedroom of a house shared with a third woman, who was unhurt.
The two women who were killed, Ms Mary Callanan (61) and Ms Sylvia Shields (59), suffered horrific stab injuries.
The statement also contains a detail relating to one of the victims, which is known to The Irish Times but which was never publicised. This detail is absent from Mr Lyons's statement.
Mr Lyons remains in custody and is due to appear in court on September 17th, when the Garda is due to produce the book of evidence.
A legal representative for Mr Lyons said yesterday there had been no contact by the gardai in relation to the second man's statement.
Mr Lyons's family declined to comment yesterday.
Mr Lyons was arrested on July 26th and interviewed in a room in the Bridewell Garda Station in front of an audio and video taping machine.
As a result of his statement, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) agreed to prefer a single charge in relation to the murder of Ms Callinan against him. He is not charged with the murder of Ms Shields.
It was incorrectly stated in a report in The Irish Times yesterday that Mr Lyons has been charged with the murder of Ms Shields. He has been charged only with the murder of Ms Callanan.