Over 200 people are being interviewed as part of a second Garda investigation into the death of a young prisoner who died of strychnine poisoning, an inquest has heard.
The inquest into the death of Anthony Kelly (20), Snowdrop Walk, Darndale, who died in the Mater hospital on May 31st, 2006, yesterday heard that Mr Kelly's death was the first human case of strychnine poisoning since 1982.
Insp Francis Sweeny of Mountjoy Garda station told the Dublin city coroner that gardaí were currently following 219 separate lines of inquiry into the young man's death, including interviews with staff of St Patrick's Institution and individuals who were incarcerated there at the time of Mr Kelly's death.
The court heard that a further toxicology analysis was being carried out at an unnamed laboratory in the south of France and gardaí are awaiting the results of those tests.
Mr Kelly was rushed from St Patrick's Institution to the Mater hospital following a suspected drugs overdose. Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell directed the Garda to carry out a more intensive inquiry into Mr Kelly's death on June 12th of this year when it emerged that Mr Kelly had died of strychnine poisoning.
The solicitor for the family, Michael Finucane, said he was concerned about the long delays surrounding the analysis. "The sample that disclosed strychnine was first evident on August 18th, 2006," said Mr Finucane.
Investigating officer Det Michael Smith said the first indication gardaí had that strychnine poisoning was an issue was when the State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, pronounced that this was the cause of death.
The toxicology samples were first analysed at Beaumont Hospital on August 18th, 2006.
They were subsequently sent to the State Laboratory for further analysis on March 16th, 2007.
The Dublin city coroner was issued with the toxicology report from the State Laboratory, which revealed the presence of strychnine on March 29th, 2007 and Dr Cassidy issued her final report on April 12th, 2007.
The coroner ordered a further hearing in October.