The late Palestinian Delegate-General to Ireland, Dr Yusuf Allan, died of carbon monoxide poisoning, the Coroner's Court in Dublin was told yesterday.
However, a Garda witness said there was no evidence of foul play or suicide and the jury returned an open verdict.
Tests found a lethal level of more than 50 per cent of carbon monoxide in the dead man's blood. He was also suffering from cardiac hypertension, but this was not the principal cause of death, the court was told.
Experts gave evidence that the ventilation for the central heating boiler was poor and the hypothesis was advanced that, in the cold weather conditions at the time, this may have led to a build-up of carbon monoxide in his house.
Dr Allan (48), originally from the West Bank, was found dead at his home in Haddington Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin, on the afternoon of January 17th, 2001.
The deputy State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, said she initially believed cardiac failure might have been the cause of death and was surprised and alarmed when a toxicology report showed carbon monoxide poisoning was the principal cause. There were no marks or injuries on the body.
A second test on Dr Allan's blood six months later showed a 52 per cent level of carbon monoxide but this was still very high.
Mr Brendan Molloy, a consulting engineer, said he had investigated the gas central heating boiler in the house in August 2001. The air supply to the boiler was inadequate and the flue was poorly insulated.
It was very cold at night at the time of Dr Allan's death and this could have led to a fatal build-up of carbon monoxide. It was possible that on this very cold night, the exhaust gas from the boiler, instead of exiting via the flue, came back into the house as a "down-draft". It was a very good boiler but did not have a sensor for switching off automatically when this happened. He agreed with Mr Mark de Blacam SC, for Bord Gáis Éireann, that he was suggesting this "only as a possibility".
Det Sgt Colm O'Malley stated there were no suspicious circumstances and no evidence of suicidal intent.
The jury of five men and one woman returned an open verdict with a rider that the new owners of the house should be informed of potential difficulties with ventilation in the boiler area.