State Pardons
Dail Éireann — 2020-12-10
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Helen McEntee (FG), Meath East

Just because it is a long time ago, some people might ask whether it would make any difference. Where a miscarriage of justice may have occurred, it is extremely important that we correct the record. We need to provide clarity and assurance to the family. I will give some more detail in the process. Following the initial consideration of a case by departmental officials where they form a view that there was potentially a miscarriage of justice, we bring in the independent expert to examine all the information on the case. I again thank those who have provided that information to the particular expert in this case.
If it is advised that a presidential pardon should be awarded, I will bring that to Cabinet and then it goes on to the President to decide following advice of Government as to whether a pardon should be granted. I reassure the Deputy that this case has not been forgotten. It is being worked on and as soon as I get the report from the independent expert, I will act on it as quickly as possible.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2020-12-10/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:55+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-12-10