Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 2133Murder (three counts) · Co. Dublin · 24 Jan 2020

Father of three children killed by mother says Children First Act failed to protect them

Andrew McGinley, whose three children Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3) were killed by their mother Deirdre Morley at their home in Newcastle, Co Dublin on 24 January 2020, said the Children First Act did not protect his children. Morley was found not guilty of their murder by reason of insanity in May 2021, and McGinley has asked the coroner overseeing the inquest to examine the medical care Morley received for a mental illness in the two years before the deaths.

  1. Reported
  2. Arrested
  3. Charged
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
6 statements extracted from the articles
  • whenThe three children died at their family home in Newcastle, Co Dublin on 24 January 2020 (irishmirror.ie)
  • investigationAndrew McGinley has asked the coroner overseeing the inquest to look into medical care Morley received for a mental illness in the two years preceding the deaths (irishmirror.ie)
  • courtDeirdre Morley was found not guilty of the murder by reason of insanity in May 2021 (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherThe Children First Act is 2015 legislation placing statutory obligations on professionals and organisations providing services to children (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMcGinley believes clinicians made decisions about his children without his input as a co-parent (irishmirror.ie)
  • otherMcGinley set up a YouTube channel in memory of his eldest child Conor (irishmirror.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 9 Mar2025
    Otheririshmirror.ie, follow-up
    Dad of three kids killed by mother says child legislation failed to protect them

    Father discusses the Children First Act on a podcast and asks the coroner to examine the medical care the mother received for a mental illness in the two years before the children's deaths; inquest is delayed.

    victim, 9, male, irish (judged from name)victim, 7, male, irish (judged from name)victim, Carla McGinley, 3, female, irish (judged from name)Carla McGinleyaccused, Deirdre Morley, female, named, irish (judged from name)Deirdre Morleyvictim, Andrew McGinley, male, irish (judged from name)Andrew McGinley