Clodagh's family welcome study approval

The family of Clodagh Hawe and her boys have welcomed an independent study into how State Authorities deal with cases of familicide, and the procedures and protocols governing how they then interact with victim's families.

The proposals were brought before Cabinet on Tuesday (May 14) by Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan. It follows a meeting between him and Mary Coll and Jacqueline Connolly- the mother and sister, respectively, of Clodagh Hawe who with her three young boys, were murdered by dad Alan at their Ballyjamesduff home in 2016.

The study will examine international best practice, including Domestic Homicide Reviews.

Ms Connolly took to social media to welcome new of the review.

She said: “this will mark significant progress as, over time, it is hoped that these multi-agency reviews will be introduced in Ireland. Domestic Homicide Reviews will assist in profiling the perpetrators of such crimes and will contribute to creating a better understanding for partners, families and communities of the early warning signs of coercive control in the home.”

She added her hope that the publication of the study’s findings will lead to a societal change which more strongly holds the perpetrator to account for their actions, rather than implying they lost control, or even attributing their actions solely to mental health difficulties. “Our experience has been the opposite: these perpetrators are always seeking and maintaining control and, thus, carry out premeditated homicides. Further, with other families who have suffered domestic homicide, we continue to campaign for a change to the laws regarding succession, which currently mean that the perpetrator or his/her family inherits the victim’s estate.”