Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the absolute devastation that was caused by this explosion. I met with the families because I wanted to hear from them. I wanted to meet them because I want to make sure they get the answers they are entitled to and they deserve. The number one objective here is that families get answers to the questions they have asked, as they are entitled to. We also want to make sure something like this does not happen again. I was very clear in my previous role, as was the Government, that an inquiry was never being ruled out. However, it is really important that the work of An Garda Síochána continues. The Garda Commissioner who I spoke to, and indeed the gardaí I spoke to in Donegal, have done a huge amount of work to make sure a file can be prepared and it will be sent to the DPP. However, if, at the end of that process - the DPP is independent - there are still questions that need to be answered, the Government has never ruled out a public inquiry, nor should it ever do so.

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