The family of a man who committed suicide months after receiving traumatic news concerning his biological parents, has criticised the Irish Adoption Board for the manner in which it allowed this information to be divulged.
Gerard McGowan (31), Ashcroft, Raheny, Dublin, threw himself in front of a train at Raheny Dart station on August 24th last and was killed instantly.
Edward McGowan told the court his brother had been deeply affected by news he had received concerning his biological parents a few months prior to his death. He had gone with his adoptive parents looking for information from the St Brigid's Adoption Society, Holy Faith Convent, The Coombe, Dublin, in December 2004.
At the convent he was given a letter detailing his biological parents' history and this was also read aloud to him.
He was informed of his biological mother's death in a road traffic accident and that nobody had been able to identify her body for two weeks.
Mr McGowan said in court: "It was a difficult amount of information he received all at one time. The letter was read out and he was fairly upset with the information.
"Perhaps it could have been handled more delicately. Maybe the information could have been given to him piecemeal or he could have been offered counselling. It was a tragic story."
He noticed a "dramatic turn" in his brother after receiving this information, but thought he was beginning to come to terms with it when he took his own life. "Our parents were very upset by the letter as well," he added.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell received a copy of the letter from the Irish Adoption Board detailing the history of Mr McGowan's biological parents and described it as "particularly harrowing".
He told the McGowan family that he would write to the board and the Holy Faith Convent, "indicating the family's concerns about how this information was given".
A long-time friend and housemate of Mr McGowan told the court he noticed a dramatic change in his friend after receiving this information and that he had taken sick leave from his job as an accountant.
Gareth Caprani told the court: "He was withdrawn in the last few weeks. The news about his biological mother had a strange effect on him and he had a lot of mood swings. I suggested going to see a doctor or a psychiatrist for help with the issue. He agreed and I think he went once."
A jury returned a verdict of death by suicide.