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Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Extra.ie
Did State pay my sister's killer after conviction?
The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has refused to clarify if was still being paid by the State as recently as February, almost six years after murdering his wife Valerie French. Mr Kilroy, a former park ranger with the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), has been behind bars since beating, stabbing and strangling his wife to death in Kilbree Lower, Co. Mayo, in June 2019, while the couple's three children slept. Today's top videos STORY CONTINUES BELOW After two collapsed trials, he was convicted of her murder last July, the jury rejecting his plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. Valerie French However, received information in February this year that the Co. Meath native was still being paid by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, which oversees the NPWS. When the reasons for this were queried in February by Extra, a spokesman for the department said on February 19: 'The matter is currently the subject of legal correspondence, however, the department does not comment on individual circumstances of existing or former members of staff.' But that comment changed this week, with the department giving an outright denial anybody serving time for a serious offence like murder was on the State payroll. The case around the brutal murder had already shone a light on the legal anomaly that has seen Mr Kilroy retain guardianship of the couple's three children after murdering their mother Valerie, a 41-year-old occupational therapist originally from Leap, Co. Cork. Valerie French Kilroy. Her brother David French, who is leading efforts to have this law changed and has recently published a book about his sister and the aftermath of her murder, has had three Freedom of Information (FOI) requests rejected since February in trying to establish if and when the State stopped paying Mr Kilroy a salary. An initial FOI submission to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage was rejected on the grounds that specific personal information could not be shared. A second request asking for a description of protocol when someone is convicted of a serious crime such as murder received the response that it 'would fall under the category of serious misconduct. It is the case that all serious misconduct cases are dealt with on a case-by-case basis having regard to the relevant guidelines and procedures and legal advice, as appropriate.' A final request asked for the number of people on the payroll who have not presented to work in the past five years. This was refused on the grounds that it 'would involve the disclosure of personal Information'. Extra asked the department this week if it had any update to its comment in February. A spokesman responded: '…you have raised a query about a conviction for a serious criminal offence (murder) and the department can confirm that there are no persons currently serving a prison sentence for such a conviction who are in receipt of any payments (whether by way of salary or otherwise) paid by the department, which includes the NPWS.' Asked if that was true at the time of our initial queries in February, and what the 'legal correspondence' mentioned in the initial response referred to, a spokesman said the department 'won't be adding anything to the response' provided this week. Mr French said it is 'hard to find words to describe the situation' of Mr Kilroy potentially receiving a salary over six months after his conviction and almost six years after being arrested for murder. 'From child guardianship to property ownership, the legal situation following a homicide needs serious reform,' he told People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger raised the issue in the Dáil this week, with Taoiseach Micheál Martin responding that he did 'not have the background in respect of the NPWS and how it is dealing with this, but I will find out'. Ms Coppinger told Extra: 'It's very concerning someone who was very publicly tried and convicted for the murder of his wife could continue to be paid by the State.' An employment law expert told they 'can think of no legal reason why somebody convicted would still be getting paid'. 'If somebody is arrested for a really serious charge, such as murder, I would expect that they would immediately be put on administrative – i.e. paid – leave, because they have the presumption of innocence. 'But on conviction, that ought to have been withdrawn and his employment terminated. And I suspect what has happened is simple human error, he wasn't removed from the payroll, because as far as they were concerned, he was still on 'special leave.'' The solicitor added the 'only other angle I could see' is that, 'perhaps on humanitarian grounds, they're placing his salary in trust for the kids, because he's not in a position to provide for them and the mother has passed away'. But he further explained there was 'no legal authority' for such an arrangement. A spokesman for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform told 'In the event a civil servant is convicted and incarcerated for a serious offence, dismissal would be highly probable, subject to the specific circumstances and the application of internal disciplinary procedures. 'The reasons for warranting the sanction of dismissal are cited in Appendix A of the Civil Service Disciplinary Code which states that any serious misconduct is misconduct which is sufficiently serious to warrant dismissal or other serious sanction.' A source in a union that represents civil servants said their experience aligns with the department's comments that judgments are made 'case by case' when someone is convicted of a crime. 'There's no one-size-fits-all process that I'm aware of,' they said. 'If you go down to the Four Courts and listen to a whole day's proceedings, there's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to criminal law. 'Criminal law is vast, and with good reason, because the nature of what transgresses the law varies widely. The law has different ways of dealing with cases of different individual criminal activity.' Mr Kilroy's legal team, Thomas J Walsh Solicitors in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, did not respond to an approach for comment.
Irish Independent
15-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Cork County Council defends social housing record
Today at 08:42 Cork County Council has pushed back against figures recently released by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage that placed the local authority 21st out of 31 local authorities when it comes to delivering new-build social housing. The government target for Cork County Council between 2022 and 2024 was 1,818 new-build social houses while 1,304 were actually delivered, a shortfall of 28%. Responding to a motion on the shortfall put by Cllr Danny Collins at this week's meeting of Cork County Council, Divisional Manager Michael Lynch defended the Council's record. He said that a further 1,217 social houses are currently in the pipeline for the period 2025-2028 while 321 affordable houses have been offered across the county in 10 schemes and another 350 units are in the planning and design phase. Mr Lynch added that social housing provision is not confined to newly built accommodation and the total number of allocations to acquire second-hand properties and vacated or refurbished dwellings in County Cork during 2022-24 was 2,329. The Council official said that the Council has also worked with state agencies on projects in Carrigaline, Midleton and Carrigtwohill that will deliver more than 7,000 housing units. 'It should be noted Cork County is the highest performing local authority area outside of the Dublin Authorities and Kildare County Council in terms of housing delivery overall with over 2,000 new homes per annum being built currently,' he said. Mr Lynch said that the challenges the Council faces in meeting social and affordable housing targets include the difficulty in creating a landbank in areas of high demand, insufficient capacity in Uisce Eireann infrastructure, and road infrastructure at key locations such as the R624 to Cobh, the N25, the Bandon Relief Road, the Mallow Relief Road and the development of the M20. Speaking at the meeting, Cork County Council Chief Executive Moira Murrell said the housing figures released by the department "referred to a very narrow measurement of housing," namely social housing own-built by the Council on the Council's own land. The figures don't take into account other models of housing delivery such as the Water Rock development between Midleton and Carrigtwohill "that's providing private public housing to a very large scale." "I will say there's huge ambition across the county to deliver on housing and there's certainly huge capacity and great skill here within the local authority who have successfully been delivering and continue to deliver,' the Chief Executive said. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Related topics Peter McCarthy
Irish Independent
14-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Housing Minister confirms 106 social houses planned for Wicklow won't be delivered
A Public-Private Partnership project was set to deliver the homes with a total of 486 due to be constructed at sites in Blessington, Dublin, Kildare and Sligo. Despite calls from local elected representatives to reverse the decision in recent weeks, following a review of the costs associated, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has decided not to proceed with the contract award on a value for money basis. In response to a parliamentary question from Wicklow TD John Brady, Mr Browne indicated the overall costs of the Bundle 3 project were considered too high. 'All sites within the Bundle 3 project have full planning permission and all of them will be delivered by way of alternative procurement and delivery strategies.' he added. A meeting of the Public Accounts Committee last month heard only a contract had been signed with the preferred tender who carry out site investigations. The contract to build the units is a separate process. That requires approval from the Department, which has since announced it will not proceed.
RTÉ News
30-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Govt to consider housing, planning memos
The Government is due consider a number of memos on housing and planning being brought to Cabinet today by Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne. Among them will be the text of the bill that will allow for planning permissions to be extended for up to three years if development is being held up by judicial review proceedings. Pre legislative scrutiny of the bill has been waived and the minister aims to have the bill enacted before the summer break. A plan to significantly cut red tape for local authorities will also be presented. It will simplify the current four step process to just one step. In addition, Minister Browne will present a plan to regularly publish figures for local authorities that will show how many social houses are being delivered compared to the targets set. Ministers are also expected to get an update from Tánaiste Simon Harris on the progress of trade talks with the United States. Mr Harris will say that while the expected baseline 10% tariff will pose challenges for the Irish economy, there is positive momentum in the talks as they approach the 9 July deadline. Any deal that is made will have to be assessed against what exclusions from the 10% tariff can be secured, including scope for zero to zero arrangements that may be agreed for key sectors. However, he is also expected to tell ministers that nobody can predict what will happen with certainty. Today's Cabinet meeting will take place in the absence of Taoiseach Micheál Martin, who is due to arrive in Japan for a four day visit.
Irish Independent
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Clarity sought on future of 106 west Wicklow social homes
Earlier this month Mr Browne decided to pull the plug on the Public-Private Partnership project that was set to deliver the homes. A total of 486 homes were due to be constructed at sites in Blessington, Dublin, Kildare and Sligo. However, following a review of the costs associated, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage decided earlier this month not to proceed with the contract award on a value for money basis. Following a parliamentary question from Social Democrats TD for Wicklow Jennifer Whitmore, Simon Harris said he has been reviewing the current situation. Speaking in the Dail Mr Harris said he wants to see the project progress. 'I have corresponded directly with the Minister on the matter. We are going to have a review of the national development plan. If the issue is one of funding constraints - it should not be - I am eager that we rectify it in that plan. The review will happen next month.' In response Deputy Whitmore said if funding is the issue, it needs to be restored. 'These homes had full planning permission and were construction ready. The decision to pull the plug on them, without warning, has left the local council and communities in limbo,' Deputy Whitmore stated. 'The Government has cited 'value for money' concerns as the reason for halting the projects – during a housing crisis,' Deputy Whitmore continued. 'How can you justify halting social housing projects at a time when thousands of families are crying out for secure, affordable homes? We need more homes, not less. The Government know this,' Deputy Whitmore added. 'This Blessington development was set to deliver over 100 much-needed homes. This is not just a spreadsheet issue, it's about real people, real families, and real communities. 'The Government must urgently restore funding and provide clarity on the future of these projects,' Deputy Whitmore concluded.
