Garda response gap in Connolly Hospital patient's 2017 disappearance probed

An inquest jury has returned a verdict of death by suicide for Seán O’Neill, a 25-year-old man who disappeared from Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown in March 2017 and was found dead over 24 hours later. A Fiosrú investigator said there was no record of Garda activity for 17 hours after an initial response. Two gardaí arrived at the hospital about 12 minutes after O’Neill left at 7.05am, but neither could recall their actions, and no report was logged on the Garda Pulse system. The family searched for him until gardaí attended his mother’s house shortly after 1am the next day, with one officer saying he would automatically be classed as high-risk. The initial inquest in 2020 was abandoned due to improper jury selection. The jury endorsed revised Garda guidelines for missing persons cases introduced this year, and noted a public misconception that a 24-hour wait is required before action, which an inspector confirmed has never been the case.