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Dara Quigley died on 12 April. Facebook

'Deplorable and revolting' treatment of deceased activist Dara Quigley is raised in the Dáil

A video of Dara Quigley’s arrest by gardaí was put online in the days before her death.

THE TREATMENT OF Dara Quigley has been described as “deplorable and revolting” by Sinn Féin TD Mary Lou McDonald.

The journalist and activist died by suicide on 12 April, a number of days after she was arrested in Dublin under the Mental Health Act.

She had been walking naked on a Dublin street and CCTV footage of her arrest was uploaded to WhatsApp and subsequently to Facebook where it was viewed over 100,000 times.

She took her own life a number of days later.

An investigation by the Garda Ombudsman is looking into the conduct of gardaí in relation to this woman before her death.

It’s believed that an officer has been suspended with full pay in connection with the case.

As well as being known as a journalist, Dara Quigley was a prominent anti-water charge and anti-austerity activist.

Speaking in the Dáil today, Deputy McDonald said what happened to Ms Quigley was an example of a “culture of humiliation”.

TheJournal.ie / YouTube

“I would like you to shed some light on the case of Dara Quigley, a young woman who died by suicide on 12 April,” McDonald said.

“She had been detained by gardaí some days previously under the Mental Health Act. She had been walking naked in a Dublin street when she was detained and garda CCTV footage of this detention was posted on Facebook.”

A really deplorable and revolting turn of events and something that has brought great hardship to her family and has brought very great distress to Dara. So we mark her passing and when we talk about garda culture and reform and accountability, I suppose this is the rawest end, the sharpest end of a deplorable culture of humiliation and disregard for human beings.

McDonald concluded by asking Tánaiste and Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald whether anyone would be held accountable in the case.

“Everyone would be totally disturbed and appalled by the story that has been reported in the media,” Fitzgerald responded.

And actions are following on from that, as you know that has been reported. There is an investigation and a GSOC inquiry, but just to say of course our thoughts are with that young woman’s family given the appalling and very, very sad sequence of events.

Family

In a statement released to The Irish Times, the deceased woman’s family said she had “an enduring commitment to creating a fairer society.”

The family also said that Ms Quigley struggled with addiction and mental health issues, adding that the release of the video was “egregious and deeply hurtful”.

If you need to talk, contact:

  • Pieta House 1800 247 247 or email mary@pieta.ie (suicide, self-harm)
  • Samaritans 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
  • Aware 1800 80 48 48 (depression, anxiety)
  • Teen-Line Ireland 1800 833 634 (for ages 13 to 19)
  • Childline 1800 66 66 66 (for under 18s)

Read: Garda allegedly shared video of woman’s arrest on WhatsApp days before she took her own life >

Read: Pressure mounts on Garda Commissioner after new dossier claims O’Sullivan misled PAC >

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    Mute Pauline Gallagher
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    Dec 7th 2020, 2:58 PM

    wonderful news for once!

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    Mute ianglen
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    Dec 7th 2020, 3:08 PM

    This is why you microchip your pooch..

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    Mute SteoG
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    Dec 7th 2020, 3:10 PM

    Great news.

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    Mute Ed
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    Dec 7th 2020, 2:58 PM

    A professional pet searcher? How do they say that’s their job while keeping a straight face.

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    Mute Keith Fay
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    Dec 7th 2020, 3:12 PM

    @Ed: by saying it in their finest Jim Carey voice

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    Mute Fergus Murphy
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    Dec 7th 2020, 6:30 PM

    @Ed: Still a more legitimate career than being an “influencer”

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    Mute Ed
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    Dec 7th 2020, 11:00 PM

    @Fergus Murphy: That’s true.

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    Mute Jaymes Moynihan
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    Dec 7th 2020, 11:43 PM

    @Ed: very proudly I would think. Not sure why you think it’s funny?

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    Mute Tim Clifford
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    Dec 8th 2020, 12:07 AM

    @Ed: I believe in first year of pet searching college they teach you to look down for dogs and up for budgies.

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    Mute Anita OGalligan
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    Dec 7th 2020, 3:16 PM

    Finding Lola was wonderful news. If people go on holiday or whatever, never leave your pet with food or a neighbour to feed. To be safe put them in a pet hotel, check out the hotel first to see the accommodation and owner first or get a professional pet sitter.

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    Mute Stephen Foster
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    Dec 7th 2020, 5:13 PM

    @Anita OGalligan: or with trusted family or friends of course.

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    Mute David Dineen
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    Dec 7th 2020, 5:40 PM

    A professional dog searcher,.. I see a gap in the market….

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Dec 7th 2020, 6:53 PM

    @David Dineen: a private tail er

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    Mute Ger
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    Dec 7th 2020, 8:25 PM

    Love stories like this. Pity it doesn’t come with video

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Dec 7th 2020, 11:15 PM
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    Mute Ger
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    Dec 8th 2020, 12:21 AM

    @Fiona Fitzgerald: oh cool, thank you

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    Mute Ger Murray
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    Dec 7th 2020, 4:42 PM

    Especially conning up to Christmas

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    Mute D.B
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    Dec 7th 2020, 5:25 PM

    Yeah, I suppose its a happy story.

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    Mute David O Brien
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    Dec 8th 2020, 6:28 AM

    Great story

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    Mute Tom Goss
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    Dec 8th 2020, 7:31 AM

    Nice story. My suspicion is that the dog is a wanderer or sometimes impulsively goes off after something and was found and cared for by someone. Then it happened again…

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    Mute Ciaran Fulton
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    Dec 8th 2020, 2:35 PM

    Finally some good news .

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    Mute Ciaran Fulton
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    Dec 8th 2020, 2:34 PM

    Finally some good news

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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    Dec 7th 2020, 6:51 PM

    A private triller

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