Sister of Daniel McAnaspie Urges State for Sincere Apology Concerning His Demise
In the 15th anniversary of Daniel McAnaspie's tragic demise, new attention has been drawn to the case, stemming from an inquest and relentless calls from his family for accountability and a State apology.
Daniel, a 17-year-old in State care, was killed in February 2010 at Tolka Valley Park near Blanchardstown, Dublin. Months later, his badly decomposed remains were discovered in a deep drain on a farm in Rathfeigh, County Meath.
Cathriona McAnaspie, Daniel's sister, expressed her frustration during a recent appearance on RTE's Oliver Callan program. "The State must be held accountable," she said. "We never received an apology, nor any support or assistance in the past 15 years."
Two weeks ago, the jury in an inquest into Daniel McAnaspie's death recommended an immediate review by the State of its approaches to child protection and welfare. The jury's verdict declared his death unlawful and made several additional recommendations, any of which, if implemented, could lead to transformative changes in child protection and education services.
Cathriona agreed with these recommendations, citing ongoing shortages of State care accommodations in 2025, and claimed that nothing has changed in the 15 years since her brother's death—only Tusla has taken over the role from the HSE. She deemed the lack of beds for children as "shocking" and believed it was time for Tusla to "wake up" and provide support to these vulnerable young individuals.
Originally from Finglas in Dublin, Daniel, affectionately known as 'Dano,' was one of six siblings. Following their father's death from a heart attack on Christmas Day in 1996, Daniel and his siblings, along with their mother, entered a State care home. Their mother soon turned to alcohol and was subsequently removed from the facility. Despite efforts at rehabilitation, she sadly passed away from addiction.
Cathriona recounted the tumultuous period after their mother's death, as the children fell into web sites, missed school, and were eventually taken out of the care home one by one by the HSE. Daniel struggled with the separation, as he was particularly close to his siblings.
Despite her brother's troubles, Cathriona said that Daniel was not killed by drugs or debt but was the victim of a random attack. Multiple applications for secure accommodation were rejected before his death, and no beds were available for him. "What child asked to be locked up? He wanted help, and that was the only way out: lock me up, help me," Cathriona said.
Although Cathriona knew Daniel was at risk, she expressed shock at his murder. She described the men involved in his murder as evil. Emphasizing her family's relentless pursuit of justice for Daniel, she declared, "We are still fighting for our brother Daniel; we are his voice now."
State Records Indicate:- Daniel had more than 20 care placements in the months prior to his death.- There were three to four applications for secure accommodation before his death, all of which were rejected.- Daniel attempted suicide, but this was not known to his family before the inquest.- Daniel suffered from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, but the family was unaware of this diagnosis.
The anniversary of Daniel McAnaspie's death sheds light on the ongoing challenges facing Ireland's child protection system, with inquest recommendations underscoring the need for better support and oversight, while the family's call for a State apology serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of systemic failures.
- The family's call for a State apology in the 15th anniversary of Daniel McAnaspie's death underscores the need for accountability in war-and-conflicts and policy-and-legislation regarding child protection and welfare, where transformative changes can be brought about by following the jury's recommendations.
- General-news reports highlight ongoing concerns with the provision of adequate State care accommodations, as Cathriona McAnaspie, whose brother Daniel was killed in 2010, calls for immediate change and deems the lack of beds for children as "shocking."
- The case of Daniel McAnaspie, a 17-year-old in State care who was murdered in 2010, remains in the spotlight due to crime-and-justice issues such as his family's continued pursuit of accountability, as well as the systemic failures that allowed the tragedy to occur, including multiple rejected applications for secure accommodation and overlooked mental health struggles.
