Creeslough families to challenge decision to redevelop site of tragedy
An application was made to develop a petrol station, shop and memorial garden at the site of the Creeslough explosion.
The families of the victims of the Creeslough disaster have said they plan to challenge “every aspect” of the permission granted to redevelop the site.
An application was submitted to demolish the existing building and replace it with a new structure that would include a forecourt, shop, post office, off-licence, toilets and a space for a memorial garden.
Donegal County Council granted permission to the submission by Vivo Shell Limited.
Four men, three women and three children, ranging in age from five to 59, died in the blast that ripped through the service station in the village and a nearby apartment block on October 7 2022.
Those who died were Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; fashion student Jessica Gallagher; Celtic fan Martin McGill; James O’Flaherty from Sydney; shop worker Martina Martin; carpenter Hugh “Hughie” Kelly; and Leona Harper.
A solicitor representing the families, Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, said it was “difficult to comprehend a more insensitive and morally bankrupt decision in recent times”.
He added: “Despite the fierce and unrelenting pleas from the families directly affected, the Donegal County Council has placed commercial and business interests above the interests and rights of these families.
“Such a decision will not be taken lying down.
“Our clients have today signalled their intention to challenge every aspect of this planning decision in an effort to vindicate their rights, and the rights of their loved ones.
“It is unfathomable that the Grenfell tower or the Stardust nightclub would be rebuilt. Creeslough is no different.
“This decision seeks to rub salt into the open wounds of these families who have now for a second time in recent months, been compelled to fight for what ought to be very basic rights. But fight they will.
“Questions must be asked when a contentious decision such as this appears in the local media in Donegal before it is even as much as notified to these families.
“In many ways, this revelation underscores the families’ concerns as to the motivations of the instant decision.”
Donegal TD Pearse Doherty said that the families have been “retraumatised” by the news, and was also critical of how it was communicated to the relatives.
The Sinn Fein TD also reiterated call for a public inquiry into the explosion.
He said: “This morning, I’m thinking of Margaret O’Donnell. She’s the mother of Catherine, she’s the grandmother of James. Both of them were victims in the Creeslough tragedy.
“She went to her grave at the weekend without the answers that she and all of the other families deserve.
“On the day that the families of the victims have been retraumatised with this decision and how it was communicated, can you give them some comfort? Will you commit as a former Minister for Justice, who was to look into this issue, the need for a public inquiry. Will you ask your government to commit that so they can have the answers to questions that they will deserve.”
Minister for Education Helen McEntee said the Government has never ruled out a public inquiry.
“Just to acknowledge the absolute devastation that was caused by this explosion and I met with the families because I wanted to hear from them, because I wanted to meet them, because I wanted to make sure that they got the answers that they are entitled to and that they deserve,” Ms McEntee told the Dail.
“That is the number one objective here, that families get answers to the questions that they have asked and that they are entitled to, but also that something like this doesn’t happen again.
“I was very clear in my previous role, as was government, that an inquiry was never being ruled out, but the work of the gardai, it’s really important that that continues. The Garda Commissioner who I spoke to, and indeed the gardai in Donegal, have done a huge amount of work to make sure that a file can be prepared and it will be sent to the DPP.
“But, if at the end of that process and the DPP is independent, there are still questions that needs to be answered, the Government has never, nor should it ever rule out a public inquiry.”
