A Fine Gael MEP has called for an inquiry into the Garda handling of an investigation into the death of a 16-year-old Westport boy in a road collision over two years ago.
Senator Jim Higgins today criticised a decision by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to reject a plea for an independent inquiry into the death of Kevin McAndrew in October 2004.
He died 11 days after his motorcycle was hit from behind on the Westport to Castlebar road.
His parents, John and Kathleen McAndrew have called for an independent investigation into the Garda handling of the incident.
Mr Higgins said: "I fully support John and Kathleen McAndrew's view that not alone was the follow-up investigation by the Garda Síochána devoid of sensitivity but also that a bright, intelligent and road-conscious young man was mown down by a car and yet it took investigating gardaí three months in some cases, and four months in another case, before statements were taken from key witnesses."
The Garda investigation file from the State Solicitor's office only arrived in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on April 14th, 2005, 24 hours after the period for bringing a summary prosecution had expired.
"The late gathering of evidence is no excuse for the late submission of the file to the DPP, thereby rendering it too late for prosecutions to be brought," he said.
"Furthermore, the file on the case clearly points to significant discrepancies between the statements of the investigating gardaí at the accident scene and other witnesses. Yet these discrepancies were not followed up."