Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald has called on the Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan to meet the families of the Creeslough tragedy without delay and hold a public inquiry into the explosion that claimed the lives of ten people.
The explosion at a service station and apartment complex in Creeslough village on 7 October 2022 claimed the lives of four men, three women and three children, aged between five and 59 years of age.
Speaking to reporters before a meeting with bereaved family members in Letterkenny, the Sinn Féin leader said she was conscious three and a half years have passed and families have many questions and no answers.
"It’s now imperative that the Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan meets with the families without any delay.
"It's also essential that there is a public inquiry, and that can happen alongside the criminal investigation, as confirmed by the previous garda commissioner.
"Our hearts go out to these families. They have suffered just enormously unthinkable grief, and they should not be left in limbo in this way. We believe that is cruel and unnecessary," she said.
Gardaí sent a primary file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on 29 September 2025, and a second file is expected shortly.
Bereaved family members who lost loved ones in the tragedy have been calling for a public inquiry to run alongside the ongoing garda investigation and for a meeting with Minister O'Callaghan.
The minister recently declined an opportunity to meet the families, citing the advanced stage of the ongoing investigation.
Writing on behalf of the minister, a department official conveyed their sympathies and added that the criminal investigation was the "most appropriate process" to address their concerns.
They said it was important the investigation was progressed and not jeopardised in any way and added they appreciated this was not the response they sought.
Minister O’Callaghan told reporters in Cavan last week while he had "no difficulty" meeting the families, time must be allowed for potential prosecutions to be initiated.
He said that he hopes there will be criminal prosecutions and added there will be an inquest and "other statutory investigations" after the end of the criminal proceedings.
He continued: "If, at the end of the process, there are answers that still need to be provided I’ll certainly consider an inquiry."
In relation to calls for a public inquiry, a department spokesperson said the Government must be careful not to take steps that could compromise the criminal investigation.
O'Callaghan should meet families, says McDonald
Ms McDonald stressed ahead of the meeting that the Minister O’Callaghan should meet the bereaved and allow for a public inquiry alongside the ongoing criminal investigation.
"There is no reason for delay. The meeting needs to happen. The public inquiry needs to commence. The questions that these families who have suffered so much, their questions now need to be answered," the Sinn Féin leader said.
She added: "There needs to be a compassion and decency and there needs to be a sense of justice for these families three and a half years on, and the families are none the wiser that to us is utterly unacceptable."
Ms McDonald, Sinn Féin’s Donegal TDs Pearse Doherty and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn along with councillors John Shéamuis Ó Fearraigh and Gerry McMonagle are currently meeting the family members who lost loved ones.
Ms McDonald said they planned to listen to the families, engage and reassure them of the party’s support for their calls.
"We're here to reassure them of that, to add our voice to theirs in calling for what is right, and I hope at some level as well to give a level of human recognition and comfort too," she said.
Last week, Donna Harper, whose 14-year-old daughter was one of ten people who lost their lives in the Creeslough explosion told RTÉ News that the Government should listen to the concerns of the bereaved families and survivors.
"Ten people were killed and one of them was my daughter. It’s one of the biggest investigations in the history of the State.
"It’s deeply disappointing that the Minister for Justice has refused to meet us. We are Leona’s grieving parents and we're asking to be heard," she said.
Ms Harper stressed that they are very happy with the ongoing garda criminal investigation, adding that it will only answer some of their concerns.
"The questions we have are quite personal and private. They should only be put forward to the likes of Mr O’Callaghan," Ms Harper said.
Ms Harper said families do not know when the criminal investigation will be complete or when inquests will take place.
"How many years will that be? No one is asking the minister to jeopardise anything. It’s just talks and it’s very disappointing that the minister has refused," she said.
The ten people who died in the Creeslough tragedy were five-year-old Shauna Flanagan Garwe and her father Robert Garwe, 50, 14-year-old Leona Harper, 59-year-old Hugh Kelly, 24-year-old Jessica Gallagher, 49-year-old Martin McGill, 48-year-old James O'Flaherty, 49-year-old Martina Martin, 39-year-old Catherine O'Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan.
