The family of a 44-year-old Limerick woman whose dead body was found hanging from a railing four years ago is seeking a meeting with the Minister for Justice in a bid to get answers about her tragic death.
Maggie Collins, late of Hyde Avenue, Ballinacurra Weston, Limerick, died on November 19th, 2002, after she was found hanging by her anorak from the railings of a house in Pery Square in the city.
Prior to her death, the mother of four was drinking heavily and had spent three years sleeping rough on the streets of Limerick, after a series of tragedies in her life including the murder of her brother Johnny.
Since her death, Ms Collins's family, who she saw regularly, has insisted she was murdered, and claim the circumstances surrounding her death were never fully investigated.
"I feel like there's no justice, especially for the poor people. When you have a name as a street drinker then you are not treated as a human being," said her father, Patrick Collins. "If this was anybody else's daughter, then there would be somebody in custody by now. I have no faith in the justice system," he added.
Mr Collins made his comments after the inquest into his daughter's death took place in Limerick yesterday, three years after it was adjourned.
The jury at the Coroner's Court returned an open verdict after hearing evidence from the victim's brother and a number of witnesses who saw her hanging from the railing.
Anthony Collins gave evidence of formally identifying his sister's body, at the Mid Western Regional Hospital on the day after her death. He said he noticed four-inch bruise-marks on either side of her neck, and said she didn't have these when he met her in his mother's house earlier on the night she died.
During cross-examination by the Collins's family solicitor David Brophy, Dr Daragh Little said he couldn't say if these bruises had been caused by somebody catching Ms Collins by the neck, as he hadn't seen the bruises.
The inquest heard Dr John Harbison, who carried out the postmortem, hadn't noticed any bruising either. The former State pathologist concluded Ms Collins died from vagal inhibition, which occurs when a neck artery is compressed.
Local resident Keith Fossett gave evidence of seeing Ms Collins with a male street drinker, who he said was trying to free her from the railings.
Other witnesses also gave evidence of seeing Ms Collins with a male street drinker trying to lift her from the railing which, according to Garda evidence, measured just under five feet.
Speaking after the open verdict was returned, Ms Collins's family said it was the "best verdict" they could have hoped for and called for the investigation into their sister's death to be reopened.
The victim's father and her brother Anthony said they plan to request a meeting with Minister for Justice Michael McDowell, to bring the investigation into her death to a conclusion.