Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny has added his voice to calls for an independent inquiry into the death of teenager Daniel McAnaspie who was murdered while in the care of the State.
The body of the 17-year-old, who was originally from Finglas in Dublin, was found in a ditch on farmland in Co Meath last week. He had been missing from a HSE-run care home in north Dublin since February 25th.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Mr Kenny said an inquiry, conducted by three people who were independent of the HSE, needed to take place to find out the “tragic circumstances” that lay behind the youth’s death.
Taoiseach Brian Cowen said the Minister for Health would decide on the most appropriate action to investigate what he described as a “most tragic case”.
Yesterday, gardaí investigating the murder said they believed more than one person was involved in the teenager's death. Detectives are said to be investigating the possibility the youth was stabbed to death by young men he had never met.
They believe at least two men stabbed Daniel and then put his body into a car before dumping the remains between fields at Gilliamstown, Rathfeigh, Co Meath..
The last confirmed sighting of Daniel was on the street at Whitestown Avenue, Blanchardstown, west Dublin, at about 3.30am on Friday, February 26th.
He was living in HSE care in a house in Donabate, north Dublin, and had gone to Finglas to meet people he knew on the afternoon of February 25th.
Daniel travelled with these young men by car to Whitestown Avenue and spent the evening with them and mixed with local young people. Later, his friends left the area, leaving the teenager with the young people he had met that day.
His friends have been traced by gardaí and have been ruled out as suspects following interviews.
Daniel's family has claimed he did not get the assistance he required while in care and has called for an independent inquiry into his death.