Ulster Unionist Health Spokesperson, Alan Chambers MLA, has called on a Fine Gael Senator to publicly retract her false and baseless accusations that some paramedics from Northern Ireland were prevented in assisting with the immediate response to the Creeslough explosion.

Alan Chambers said:

“What happened in Creeslough, Co Donegal, last October was a total tragedy. Ten people going about their daily routines sadly lost their lives and their deaths will still be felt immensely by all those that knew and loved them.

“The response to the explosion was swift and all encompassing. Like everyone else in Northern Ireland I was glad to see our emergency services moving at pace and playing a significant role in the harrowing aftermath.  Crews from the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, the Fire & Rescue Service and our Air Ambulance all mobilised instantly and were on the scene assisting within a very short period of time.

“If a similarly harrowing incident were to happen in Northern Ireland, I’m quite sure emergency services in the Republic would also come to our assistance. For many decades there has been long-standing practical co-operation and ultimately, when lives are at risk, the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland shouldn’t come into any emergency or humanitarian response.   

“What we don’t need now, however, are public figures trying to cast totally false aspersions in an attempt to make ill-judged party-political points.

“The statement from Fine Gael Senator Emer Currie, has been categorically refuted and shown to be without the slightest foundation. Instead of using the response to the tragedy in an attempt to make a pretty tactless point, she should have first sought to get her facts right. Had she done that she would have quickly realised her speculation was nonsense.

“Senator Currie now needs to make an immediate retraction and apologise for her totally thoughtless, unnecessary and crass intervention.”