Irish government to consider Creeslough explosion inquest

The Irish government will consider holding an inquest into the Creeslough explosion, the Irish justice minister has told families of victims.

An explosion at a service station, in County Donegal, on 7 October 2022 killed 10 people, including four men, three women, two teenagers and a five-year-old girl - all from the village or surrounding areas.

Ten family members met Jim O'Callaghan for about an hour and a half at the Department of Justice in Dublin on Thursday.

No official explanation has yet been given for the cause of the explosion and nobody has been charged in connection with the investigation, despite several arrests.

Families have been pushing for answers and want an inquest into the tragedy.

The minister said he will consider an inquest but the Irish government is worried that setting up an inquest too early may interfere with the criminal investigation under way.

The 10 victims of the explosion were Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; Catherine O'Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; Jessica Gallagher; Martin McGill; James O'Flaherty; Martina Martin; Hugh Kelly; and 14-year-old Leona Harper.

Solicitor Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, who represents some of the families, told reporters at the Department of Justice that "the minister has now confirmed unequivocally to these families, that he will consider holding an inquest, with a senior judge or the senior coroner, something similar to Stardust".

"The ball is now in the minister's court. These families have waited too long for a decision, for an independent investigation."

He said there is "absolutely no prohibition" on preparations beginning for an inquest "now".

"The reality is, two years ago, these families asked for an independent investigation. We are still waiting for a decision," said Mackin.

Damien Tansey, who represents some families connected to the explosion, said the minister will consider that a part of the public inquest can begin in parallel with other inquiries in a way that does not interfere with them.

Donna Harper, whose 14-year-old daughter Leona died in the explosion, said the minister has not "ruled out" the public inquiry.

She said she would "love" to see the inquest process starting earlier.

"We appreciate the time [from the minister] but at the same time, we're coming up to four years now on the 7th of October. My wee girl was killed on the 7th and she was 14 when she was killed - January passed and she should have been 18.

"She should have been making her prom and so on. And you've got all them milestones in front of you."

Harper said it is "one of the biggest disasters in the history of the state" and said it is "shocking" that nobody has sat down with the families and spoken about a memorial.

"We're going down there every year, we're just laying flowers at the side of the road.

"We're stuck on the 7th of October 2022. How do you begin to move on when you have all this in front of you? We just need some answers. "

Tierney said the minister is "concerned" that if a sworn public inquiry is established before the criminal investigation concludes, "anybody involved on the criminal side" will apply for an injunction to the inquiry.

"It was a mass tragedy of enormous proportions," he said.

"At what point, will the government say, enough time has passed? Something now needs to be done."

Tierney said the families were told it normally takes the Irish Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) three to six months to decide whether it will prosecute once files have been sent.

A number of Irish state bodies are carrying out investigations into the tragedy.

A health and safety file will be sent to the DPP in July, according to Aine Flanagan, whose partner Robert and five-year-old daughter Shauna died in the explosion.

Anne Marie Boyle, who lost her sister Catherine O'Donnell and nephew James Monaghan in the disaster, said if preliminary work can get under way on the inquest it would "speed things up".