LAST UPDATE | 6 Jul

GARDAÍ BELIEVE THAT the man arrested in connection with the death of a woman in Portlaoise is known to her, and they are not looking for other suspects, sources have said. 

The man, who is in his 70s, was arrested at the scene of the incident at a house on Church Street, Portlaoise. 

A woman, who was in her 50s and named locally as Adina Raluca Constantin, was found dead and gardaí believe she was the victim of an early morning assault. It is understood the woman was stabbed in a row. 

She was originally from Romania and had been living in Ireland for the last 15 years. She was working in a medical clinic in Portlaoise. 

Gardaí and emergency services were called to a house in the town centre of Portlaoise shortly after 12.30pm yesterday.

The man, who is chief suspect for the death, was arrested at the scene and is being detained at a garda station. He can be detained for a maximum of 24 hours, excluding rest periods and during medical treatment. 

Forensic scientists were at the scene yesterday and today as they gathered evidence. 

Brian Stanley, an Independent TD, recalled meeting Adina on a number of occasions as his office is located on Church Street.

He said he arrived at the scene shortly after it was sealed by gardaí as they began their investigation. 

“Everyone is shocked, and particularly people working in the street – she was a very familiar face in the area. She would always exchange greetings. 

“She was a very pleasant person, and I’m thinking about her family and her family getting this news of what happened. It’s obviously shocking for them, terrible for her as well.

“She was young in spirit, that’s what I would say about her and a nice person,” he added. 

Gardaí at the scene in Portlaoise on Sunday. Rollingnews.ie Rollingnews.ie

Stanley said that this was another incidence of violence against a woman in his community and in broader Irish society.

“There have been a succession of violent incidents where women have either lost their lives or have been really seriously injured in recent months.

“It strikes me, along with thinking of Adina, we have a situation to deal with as a society, in terms of, violence against women and I just think as a society, regardless of the outcome of this.

“I don’t want to prejudice or pre-judge what happened here, that’s for the courts, but it’s an issue that we need to face up to as a society here in Ireland,” he added. 

Paddy Buggy, a local Portlaoise councillor, said people were in “deep shock” as news filtered out of the death of the woman. 

“It is a very sad occasion for all involved. No one wants to see this happening on our streets. 

“A man has gone into custody as a result of it. Everyone is shocked and that is natural a thing for people in a small town to feel when confronted with this kind of a situation,” he said. 

Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to come forward and have asked for anyone with CCTV or dashcam footage to make contact with them.