‘Heartbroken’ family want answers over murder-suicide
Waiting four years for result of HSE review
THE brother of a man who received State mental health supports before dying in a double-stabbing is to consider taking legal action against the HSE over a four-year campaign to get answers about his treatment.
Kevin Greaney, whose brother Michael (53) was involved in a murder-suicide in Co Cork in December 2014, has said he is now examining legal action against the HSE.
He said members of his family were “broken-hearted” over the HSE’s ongoing failure to brief them on the review.
“I have been left with no other option,” Mr Greaney said.
“We were promised we would be briefed on Michael’s treatment and the obvious failures in his treatment regime.
“We were promised a copy of the report. But with the fourth anniversary now just two months away, we are still in the dark over what happened.
“I want the HSE to know that no one is above the law.”
Michael Greaney, a Naval Service veteran, was admitted to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) in Dublin after attempting to kill a teenager and then take his own life in 2013.
He was admitted under Section 5(2) of the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act in May 2013 – but was released from fulltime residential care after just six weeks.
He then spent the next 18 months effectively being treated in his own Cork community, forbidden only to return to his family home.
Even that restriction was lifted when Michael, supported by his wife Valerie (49), took legal action for him to be allowed return home.
In December 2014, a short time after being allowed back to his family home in Cobh, Co Cork, Michael fatally stabbed Valerie, then took his own life.
Kevin Greaney has said he doesn’t want any other family to suffer such heartache.
He asked: “How an earth can a man who was treated in the Central Mental Hospital for something as serious as happened in 2013 receive such a short amount of residential care?
“Even the treatment programmes for people with alcohol problems are longer.”
The HSE insists that it has tried to work closely with the family.
“All parties concerned have been given the opportunity to comment for factual correctness etc prior to the submission of the final draft by the
investigators to the commissioner,” a spokesperson said.
“Local mental health services have also provided support to the family and this remains available at the family’s request.”
However, Mr Greaney said his family believed the tragedy was entirely avoidable.
He added: “All I want is the truth – but we have been ignored and kept in the dark.
“It is unforgivable, the way my family have been treated.”