No one had been held accountable in Wicklow County Council for failings related to the 2007 death of two Bray firefighters, the brother of one of the dead men said on Tuesday.
Eamonn O’Shaughnessy was speaking after the council confirmed in court that it had settled his legal action against it arising from the death of his brother, Mark (26).
The firefighter died with a senior colleague, Brian Murray (46), in a blaze in a disused factor at Adelaide Villa in the north Wicklow town.
Eamonn O’Shaughnessy said he was pleased that, after nine years of what he termed fraught conflict with the council, they had offered to settle because they “realised the strength of the case against them”.
It is understood that under the terms of the settlement, Mr O’Shaughnessy is to receive compensation of just under €30,000, not €22,000 as previously reported, for the death of his brother, plus his legal costs.
Pleaded guilty
In October 2013, the council pleaded guilty in court to multiple breaches of health and safety at work legislation relating to its running of the fire service – specifically, its management of the service, how it dealt with emergencies, how it communicated with firefighters, handled emergencies and the amount of training it offered firefighters.
In the aftermath of the 2007 fire, it emerged that the firefighters had been complaining about the running of the service and that during the fire, they used a new compressed air foam system (Cafs) in which they had received little or no training.
In April and May 2014 at the inquest into the men’s deaths, the council argued against its earlier court admission, maintaining that the men were adequately trained, including in the use of Cafs.
Civil actions
Since their deaths, close to 30 civil legal actions have been launched again the council and Mr O’Shaughnessy’s is the third to be settled to date. The other two were actions brought by firefighters, neither of whom has commented, and it is believed some 25 cases remain outstanding.
In his statement, Mr O’Shaughnessy questioned the council’s conduct.
“Nine years on [from my brother and Mr Murray’s deaths] there is still no acknowledgement by Wicklow County Council of their failings and no one accountable,” he said.
He thanked all who had supported his and the Murray family and vowed to continue.
“Serious systemic failures in the governance of Bray fire service were exposed on the day of Mark’s death and we will continue to highlight these issues in memory of Mark, a man who always stood up for what was right,” he said.
The county council refused to comment, saying it would “not be appropriate” in light of the ongoing legal actions over the men’s death.
