GARDAÍ HAVE TAKEN statements from in excess of 120 people as part of their investigations into the death of Elaine O’Hara.
They have also seized 1,600 hours of CCTV footage and are conducting a fingertip search of the area near Kilakee Mountains where part of her remains were found.
Yesterday, gardaí renewed their appeal for information about the 37-year-old, who was reported missing on 24 August 2012.
Superintendent David Taylor told Morning Ireland today that gardaí want to focus on O’Hara, who he said was a childcare assistant and a very trusted person.
She worked in a newsagents in Blackrock for over 10 years and was a very popular employee, he said, adding that she had volunteered to work at the Tall Ships festival the weekend she went missing.
Supt Taylor said that all of this information “paints a picture of Elaine, who was a very trusted person, a person who worked all her life and a person who was giving her time back to volunteer to the community”.
He said that in view of some of the media coverage of late, “we need to bring the real Elaine to people’s attention, in order to assist in people coming forward to help in the investigation”.
Gardaí are asking people to refocus and to remember the dates around the time she was reported missing, 22 – 24 August.
People might have seen, met or engaged with Elaine over this time and we’d ask people to rethink – you might have some information that might be irrelevant at the time but might be important now with subsequent events, to come forward.
Supt Taylor said that the investigation into O’Hara’s death is a major one, based at Blackrock Garda Station, and that gardaí have received a tremendous response from people.
He said that gardaí have been busy all night receiving calls from members of the public, but they believe people might have other important information to assist them.
He said that the search is still continuing in the Kilakee Mountains area, and that it is a fingertip search.
“It’s an extensive search that’s going on in order to hopefully retrieve further evidence that might assist the investigation,” said the Supt.
Gardaí have taken in excess of 120 statements and seized in excess of 1600 hours of CCTV and conducted numerous questionnaires during the investigation to date.
Gardaí are continuing to appeal to anyone who “may have met, spoken to or engaged with Elaine” between 22 and 24 August last to contact them.
Anyone with information on this case is being asked to contact Blackrock Garda Station on 01 666 5200 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
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