John Mullan, 49, six-year-old Amelia, and 14-year-old Tomás died in the crash after their car went off the road at Quigley's Point in County Donegal and plunged into Lough Foyle on 20 August 2020. A roadworks company that pleaded guilty to health and safety breaches has now been fined €1.2m at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court.
What did the court hear?
Judge Roderick Maguire said three people had died due to the failures of Whitemountain Quarries Limited. He said the company had failed to manage roadworks which led to the deaths and they didn't protect the public.
He added that this was a tragic case involving a family of four wonderful people and that he must consider the devastation of those deaths on Geraldine Mullan, who had given her evidence to the court with great dignity after she suffered unbridled grief and loss.
What did Geraldine Mullan say?
Geraldine Mullan, who survived the tragedy, said it was impossible to describe her pain and depth of loss in what was
"a preventable road traffic accident".
Whitemountain Quarries Limited, which is part of the Breedon Group, had pleaded guilty to breaches of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 at the R238 Greenbank Project, Three Trees, Quigley's Point.
What did the company say?
The company's CEO Declan Carr said he wished to offer a clear and unequivocal apology.
"I know nothing I say can change your loss… we will carry the responsibility for it… I am truly, truly sorry."
The fine was imposed at Letterkenny Circuit Criminal Court after the company's guilty plea, in a case that centred on the roadworks at Quigley's Point and the deaths of John Mullan, Tomás and Amelia Mullan on 20 August 2020.
