Investigation into boy's death in hotel swimming pool 'in final stages', inquest told

Seán McCárthaigh

A file on the investigation into the death of a boy following a tragic incident in a hotel swimming pool last year is to be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the near future, an inquest has heard.

Oliver Forde (six), of Innismore, Crumlin, Dublin, died at Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin on May 31st, 2022, two days after he had got into difficulty while playing in the swimming pool at Tullamore Court Hotel in Tullamore, Co Offaly.

An inspector, Trevor Ryan-Nesbitt, informed a sitting of Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Thursday that an investigation by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) into the boy’s death was “in its final stages”.

At a previous hearing in May, Oliver’s mother, Nina Mahon, burst into tears over the ongoing delay at holding an inquest into her son’s death.

“This is torture,” Ms Mahon said after being informed that the HSA required more time to complete its investigation of the circumstances of how Oliver died.

Ms Mahon attended the latest hearing via videolink, while other relatives were present in court. However, no member of Oliver’s family addressed the coroner, Aisling Gannon.

Mr Trevor Ryan-Nesbitt said he expected the file on the case would be forwarded to the DPP “within the coming weeks” to determine if there should be any prosecution in relation to the boy’s death.

He applied for a further six-month adjournment of the inquest under the Coroners Act on the basis that criminal proceedings were being contemplated.

Ms Gannon granted the application and adjourned the hearing until early May 2024.

'Difficult time'

The coroner offered her condolences and sympathy to Oliver’s family and acknowledged that it was “a difficult time for all”.

Ms Gannon had previously revealed that the results of a post-mortem confirmed that Oliver had died from injuries caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain.

She noted that the boy’s brain injuries were consistent with “prolonged immersion in water”.

The results of the post-mortem are also being examined by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, who forwarded them to its independent National Review Panel which reviews the background to the deaths of children.

Oliver, who was a pupil at Harold’s Cross National School in Dublin, was rushed by emergency services to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Tullamore after getting into difficulty in the hotel swimming pool before later being transferred by ambulance to hospital in Crumlin.

The young boy is survived by his parents, Denis and Nina, and his two brothers, Jack and Lucas.