The Tour de France cyclist involved in the collision in which a young Waterford girl, Laura Seward (11), was seriously injured, is to be interviewed by French police about the accident. The cyclist will be questioned after a request from gardai that he be interviewed.
Louise was struck when the cyclist collided with a group of spectators. She suffered serious head injuries and was brought by ambulance to outside Midleton before being airlifted by helicopter to Cork University Hospital.
She remains in a serious condition in the intensive care unit at Cork. Her parents are constantly at her bedside.
Gardai contacted the Tour gendarmerie to ask them to take a statement from the cyclist, which is expected to be sent to gardai within days.
Friends and neighbours in Laura's home village of Ardmore, Co Waterford, were still in a state of shock yesterday. "People are just going around in a daze. It was such a lovely day and then for this to happen. It's terribly sad but we're all just hoping and praying that she will recover," one local said.
According to a Garda spokesman, statements are being taken from a number of witnesses and a full file will be prepared.