Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 April 2024
100. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Justice the up-to-date position regarding the possible posthumous pardoning in the historic cases of Poff and Barrett in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17039/24]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, yesterday I secured Government approval to recommend to President Higgins to grant a posthumous presidential pardon to Mr Sylvester Poff and Mr James Barrett. This decision was made based on a number of factors in this case, and based upon the detailed Report received from Dr Niamh Howlin.
On the basis of these considerations, myself and my Government colleagues have decided to recommend to the President that he exercise his right to pardon, contained in Article 13.6 of the Constitution, on the grounds their convictions were unsafe by the standards of the time.
Both men were wrongfully convicted and suffered the harshest penalty under the law of the time in what can now be attributed to a miscarriage of justice.
