TG4 has announced it will proceed to air a documentary on the Creeslough tragedy this evening.
A number of families of those killed in the explosion have objected to the broadcasting of Iniúchadh TG4 – An Craoslach.
However, the station has confirmed that it will go ahead with the scheduled programming.
In a statement, TG4 said: “Having carefully considered all of the important and sensitive issues raised with us, we have decided that The documentary Iniúchadh TG4 – An Craoslach will air on TG4 tonight. The documentary is about the ordinary people who assisted in the rescue at the scene before emergency services arrived. It contains interviews with some of those who risked their own lives to bring others to safety. The programme does not report anything about the victims other than what has already been reported publicly in the direct aftermath of the tragedy.”
Earlier today An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar called on TG4 to sit down with the families concerned before making a decision to air the programme. It is not known whether this consultation took place.
Two families have publically voiced their objection to the documentary being broadcast this week as investigations continue into the explosion on 7th October last year.
Áine Flanagan, whose partner Robert Garwe and their daughter Shauna Flanagan Garwe died in the explosion, said that families were not consulted about the programme, but rather his sister found out from an online article on the Donegal Daily.
Hugh Harper, whose teenage daughter Leona lost her life in the tragedy, said his wife and children are not ready to see a documentary on the events. Mr Harper outlined his objections to today’s Liveline radio show on RTE.
TG4 has said the focus of the documentary is to shine a light on the people of the area who assisted in the rescue at the scene of the explosion: “It contains interviews with some of those who risked their own lives while bringing others to safety. They speak compassionately and sensitively about the roles they played helping others in the face of great adversity. The contributors wanted to express their gratitude at how an ordinary community came together at a time of great difficulty to try to assist their friends and neighbours
“Some of those who took part did so with the knowledge of some of those who lost loved ones. The programme shows the upmost respect for those who lost their lives. The programme does not report anything about the victims other than what has already been reported publicly in the direct aftermath of the tragedy.”
Ten people lost their lives following the explosion at the Applegreen petrol station in Creeslough on October 7 last year.
They are: Shauna Flanagan Garwe, Robert Garwe, Catherine O’Donnell, James Monaghan, Leona Harper, Jessica Gallagher, James O’Flaherty, Martin McGill, Martina Martin and Hugh Kelly.
