Statement by Frank Buttimer, solicitor for Wayne O'Donoghue
"It is to be acknowledged that this has been a very difficult year for Wayne O'Donoghue and his family. Their difficulty pales into insignificance when compared to the difficulty and the sadness which has been suffered by the Holohan family over the same period of time.
Wayne O'Donoghue's thoughts and the thoughts of his family are with the Holohans, Mark and Majella, and their family at this point in time.
Wayne O'Donoghue would like to express his gratitude to his honour, Mr Justice Paul Carney, for the fair and reasonable manner in which this trial was conducted.
He is deeply grateful to the jury for the attention that they have given to the very, very difficult task which they have had to deal with throughout this past 2½ weeks.
He would like to thank An Garda Síochána, he would like to thank the Prison Service, he would like to thank his legal advisers, he would like to thank all those who, in the background, have furnished advice to his legal advisers to include the various medical and other personnel who have given assistance to us in the past period of time in dealing with the many difficult issues with which we have had to contend in this case.
He is deeply grateful to his own family who have been there to support him throughout the entire period of this past 12 months approximately.
To all of those people who have wished him well over the past period of time, to those who have sent cards, prayers, have contacted us by telephone, contacted Wayne through the prison service, to all of those people, he is very, very grateful.
He is aware of the difficult position in which he has placed people in terms of the facts of this case.
From the outset the people of Ireland have responded in a very, very generous and kind fashion, from the time when it was necessary to commence the search through until today.
For that Wayne O'Donoghue is deeply grateful and he understands how people have been very kind and decent throughout.
If anybody is left unthanked, that is my fault, it is certainly not Wayne's fault - he is relieved at the verdict and he appreciates that the matter is not concluded, so we will proceed to Ennis Court in January to conclude the matter."