Ten years on it is still continuing, seemingly without end. The effect on my children as they have grown into adulthood has been traumatic.

Liam could not hide the awful physical and emotional toll that the tribunal exacted from him, especially in the years immediately before his untimely death in Moscow in October of 2005. I effectively saw my husband disintegrate in slow motion before my eyes.

The physical effect was visible and the emotional burden can only be described as inhuman.

Also, Liam was only dead a matter of days before the tribunal publicly listed myself and other members of the Lawlor family as the first witnesses in their resumed hearings. They wanted to force us to a public hearing within a few short weeks of Liam's passing. This did not happen, only because a witness mounted a court challenge to the tribunal.

People who have committed the most terrible crimes against children and adults could not legally be treated the way my late husband and our family have been treated by sections of the media and a state tribunal provided with almost unlimited resources.

For myself, the sudden loss of Liam has made for a very stressful existence. My children are a great emotional support to me. I am so grateful to have them and the rest of my family and friends who are also unfailing in their support.

I am on a constant emotional knife-edge because the tribunal is persisting in trying to force me out of my family home. The tribunal secured massive financial burdens on our home in order to pay for the cost of previous court hearings where my husband sought to defend himself. The burdens were against Liam but just as soon as they could, the tribunal sought to switch the huge financial burdens onto me. I don't believe they will rest until I am forced out of the home we as a family lived in, long before Liam ever entered politics.

I am at a stage now, where I honestly believe the tribunal will do everything within their enormous powers to destroy myself and my family, financially, physically and emotionally.

I really don't know how long I can keep going and hold out.

It was difficult enough when Liam was alive. It is twice as difficult now.