British and Irish politicians offer condolences following Louth crash

By Bairbre Holmes, PA

British and Irish leaders have offered condolences to the family and loved ones of the five young people killed in a crash in Co Louth on Saturday night.

Speaking at a press conference in Farmleigh House after the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) in Dublin on Monday, Tánaiste Simon Harris said “a veil of sadness and shock and heartbreak continues over our country”.

He said, “All of us are thinking in our hearts and in our minds of all of those who lost their lives.”

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan described it as a “harrowing experience for all concerned, and it brought a terrible cloud over the country, on what was otherwise a very happy day for Ireland”.

The British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland described it as a “terrible loss”.

Hilary Benn spoke on behalf of himself and his parliamentary under-secretary Matthew Patrick, saying: “Our hearts go out to the friends and families who have been so affected by what has happened.”