Irish families lobby Westminster MPs in justice campaign

Families for Justice outside Westminster on Tuesday

Families from the Republic of Ireland seeking justice for their dead relatives have travelled to London to lobby MPs at Westminster.

The Families for Justice group represents people whose loved ones have died in violent or unsolved circumstances.

They believe Irish police failed to investigate the deaths properly.

They have already lobbied MEPs in Europe and spoken to MLAs in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

On Tuesday, they took their campaign to Westminster with the support of Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) MP Jeffrey Donaldson.

All the families have lost loved ones in violent circumstances.

They believe the Irish police (An Garda Síochána) failed to investigate the deaths properly and that their fundamental right to justice has been breached.

'Cross-border policing'

The London delegation included Lucia O'Farrell, mother of Shane, 23, who was killed in 2011 in County Monaghan by a hit-and-run driver who should not have been on the road; Ann Doherty, twin sister of six-year-old Mary Boyle, who was murdered in Donegal in 1977; and Anne-Marie Cullen, mother of four-year-old Clodagh, who was killed in a mysterious car crash in Kilkenny in 2007.

Shane O'Farrell was just 23 years old when he was killed

Shane O'Farrell was out cycling near his home in Monaghan when he was knocked down and left to die on the road.

The driver was a Lithuanian national who had more than 40 convictions, including some in Northern Ireland.

He had received an eight-month jail sentence that was suspended on condition that he left the country.

Lucia O'Farrell with the Northern Ireland justice minister, David Ford

"We live 10 minutes' drive from the border, and this man came and went across with no consequence or deterrent for him - he came into Ireland six years before as a criminal who was known to Interpol," Shane's mother, Lucia, said.

"He continued until he killed - the judicial system failed us hugely and this was avoidable."

The delegation of families from the Republic of Ireland were at Stormont in November

She has travelled to Brussels, Belfast and now is heading for Westminster in her battle for justice for her son.

In December, she met Northern Ireland Justice Minister David Ford.

Mrs O'Farrell has accused the Irish government of "putting loyalty over honesty".

"We are hoping to put the spotlight on these cases and to discuss cross-border policing. Our fellow Europeans need to be aware of human rights breaches in Ireland. Families have nowhere else to turn," she said.

"Shane deserves justice and we deserve peace. We cannot have that peace until we get justice for Shane."

The families have already taken their campaign to MEPs in Europe