Creeslough families ‘failed’ by Government, says victim’s mother

By Bairbre Holmes, Press Association

The Government has failed the families of the Creeslough explosion victims, the mother of one of those killed has said.

Donna Harper was speaking to the media outside Leinster House on Wednesday, ahead of an address to Oireachtas Members by some of the families of the victims about their ongoing campaign for a public inquiry.

Four men, three women and three children, aged between five and 59, died in the explosion at a building complex in the Co Donegal village on October 7th, 2022.

Addressing reporters, Harper held a photo of her 14-year-old daughter, Leona, one of those killed in the tragedy.

Speaking on behalf of some of the families, she said in the aftermath of the explosion they were told they would “get all of the help that they need” but, despite several meetings with politicians, they had travelled to Dublin again “to ask and demand the public inquiry”.

“I do firmly believe that the Government has failed us so far”, she said, “so, I’m here today to talk to the Government, to ask them to do their job, to uphold the Irish constitution.”

She said when there is such a “mass loss of life”, the Government should step in and see what “failures” and “wrongdoings” happened.

This Government has not done that, she said, instead they have gone “into the shadows and they left us all standing here”.

She was flanked by other bereaved family members and by Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald.

Earlier in the day, McDonald pressed the Taoiseach about a public inquiry during Leaders’ Questions and asked him to meet with the families.

Responding, Micheál Martin said he “had no issue” meeting with them and “will meet with them, to be worked out”.

However, there was less agreement about the matter of a public inquiry, with Martin insisting “the viability of having (in) parallel a criminal investigation and the public inquiry at the one time” would be “extremely problematic and challenging”.

Questioned about these comments, Harper said: “All I see is the Government just keep pushing this back on the Garda criminal investigation”.

She said while the families have “good faith” in the investigation, she questioned how long it will take.

“Is it going to be 10 years? Is it going to be 12 years?

“And what are they going to say then? You still need to wait? We can’t wait any longer.

“We’ve waited four years, and I’m asking the Government to step up and do their job.”

Asked if a meeting with the Taoiseach would achieve anything, if it did not come with the promise of a public inquiry, Harper said they would “gratefully” take that meeting and “hopefully that he might give us a guarantee if we don’t get it here today”.

During the exchange between Martin and the Sinn Féin leader in the Dáil, McDonald quoted what a legal representative for some of the families said after a meeting between them and the Justice Minister in April.

She said solicitor Darragh Mackin said Jim O’Callaghan had “confirmed unequivocally” he will “consider holding an inquest with a senior judge or senior coroner, something similar to Stardust (the 1981 nightclub fire in which 48 people died)”.

McDonald said, “Nearly three months later, there’s been no progress, and the families are left feeling they’re in limbo”.

Martin replied: “The real issue here at debate is one of what’s the best mechanism to get both answers and accountability and justice.”

He said gardaí have been leading a “tripartite investigation” along with the Health and Safety Authority and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities.

Seven arrests have been made, most recently in September 2025, but no charges have been brought, he said.

“All of the advice I’ve received through the years has been that inquiries could ultimately compromise criminal investigations,” Mr Martin said.

However, McDonald said the former Garda commissioner “offered very strongly the view and advice that there would be no compromising of the criminal investigation in the holding of a public inquiry”.

She added: “Four years on and really the families have to have clarity on the direction of travel from the Government.”

Martin said the Government wants to see the criminal justice system “bring this to its conclusion”, but noted, “We do accept the point to do it in a timely manner.”

He said he is “sure” the director of public prosecutions is “assessing the file and will make its decision”.