Cold case review needed before du Plantier inquiry decision, Harris says

A cold case review into the murder of Sophie Toscan du Plantier should be completed before any decision on an inquiry is made, the Taoiseach has said.

In December 1996, the body of the 39-year-old filmmaker was found beaten outside her holiday home in Schull, West Cork.

Ian Bailey, the main suspect in her murder, died in Cork in January this year aged 66.

Asked if there should be an inquiry into her death, Simon Harris said a garda cold case review should first be allowed to conclude.

He added that Government will “see where the matter stands” at that stage.

It comes after the Tánaiste criticised the Irish legal system’s handling of the case, saying Ireland failed to find and convict a murderer while noting that the extradition of Mr Bailey to France had also been blocked by Irish courts.

Speaking on Thursday, Micheál Martin said: “We can ask for a proper review of whether decisions were reasonable which blocked a murder trial or which would have predetermined its outcome.” 

Mr Bailey, with an address at The Prairie in Schull, was convicted of murder in his absence by a French court in May 2019. The three-judge court imposed a 25-year sentence.

In October 2020, the High Court in Ireland rejected an attempt by French authorities to extradite him for the murder.

Fresh calls for an inquiry came following the publication of the book Sophie: The Final Verdict by journalist Senan Molony.

Speaking to reporters at Dublin Castle on Friday, Mr Harris said the book dealt with an “extraordinarily upsetting saga” for the du Plantier family which he said is still seeking “justice and answers”.

Mr Martin added: “It is important to reflect on momentous events of this kind – that we should never ourselves, insulate ourselves or our systems from reflection and observation.

“By any yardstick, reading the comprehensive work that [Mr Molony] did and others, I’ve come to the conclusion that we did fail the family of Sophie du Plantier and we didn’t do right by Sophie du Plantier.

“There has to be space in our public discourse for that kind of reflection and observation.