FAMILIES and relatives of those killed and injured in the Creeslough tragedy have initiated personal injury cases, RTÉ has reported.

Solicitor Damien Tansey has submitted civil cases on behalf of 25 people impacted by the tragedy in October 2022, including families of those killed in the explosion.

There are also further lawsuits which include claims by apartment owners who are concerned that insurance will not cover the full value of the properties that were destroyed.

In total, 12 different individuals or entities are listed as defendants in the latest cases, including members of the Lafferty family, VivoShell Ltd, Applegreen, the Duntally Wood apartment owners management company, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities, the Registrar of Gas Installers of Ireland, Donegal County Council and an architecture company.

The permission of the High Court was required before the most recent cases could be initiated as one of the co-defendants, Register of Gas Installers Ireland, is currently in liquidation.

It is understood that the cases could be heard within the year.

Ten people died in the explosion on 7 October 2022. They were Shauna-Flanagan Garwe (5) and her father Robert Garwe (50), Leona Harper (14), Jessica Gallagher (24), Hugh Kelly (59), Martin McGill (49), James O’Flaherty (48), Martina Martin (49), Catherine O’Donnell (39) and her son James Monaghan (13).

In May, a man aged in his 60s was arrested, this was the sixth arrest to have been made in connection with the tragedy.

The investigation continues to be led by local Gardaí, in Donegal Division supported by the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation and other agencies including the Health & Safety Authority and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities.