Planning permission has been granted at the site of the Creeslough explosion by Donegal County Council.

Ten people died in the explosion in the County Donegal village on October 7th, 2022.

Today, the council announced plans for the re-development of the area into a service station and shop operated by Vivo Shell Limited.

The decision has been branded as “morally bankrupt”, “insensitive” and a “kick in the gut” to the families of loved ones who died.

In a statement, a lawyer representing families said it was “unfathomable that the Grenfell tower, or the Stardust nightclub would be rebuilt” and the site of the Creeslough tragedy was no different.

A 'Welcome' sign in the Co Donegal village of Creeslough, © PA Wire/PA Images

Speaking to Highland Radio, Anne Marie Boyle, who lost a sister and nephew in the 2022 explosion, said she is shocked at the decision from the County Council, as families are still waiting for justice.

“With an ongoing investigation, like we're going into three years, we’re maybe going into four years before we hear,” she said.

“The guards have been quite open, every time we have had meetings with the guards with the investigation team, they've been quite open and told us as much as they can,

“They've been open and transparent with as much as possible, whereas the council have just hidden behind policies.”

Family members and mourners help carry the coffin of 14-year-old Leona Harper at St Mary's Church in Ramelton, Co Donegal, 13-10-2022. Image: PA Images / Alamy

The Government said it hasn't ruled out a public inquiry into the explosion in Creeslough.

Minister Helen McEntee said a Garda investigation must be allowed to do its work.

“An inquiry was never being ruled out but the work of the Gardaí, it's really important that that continues,” she said.

“The Garda Commissioner, who I spoke to, and indeed the Gardaí in Donegal, who I spoke to, have done a huge amount of work to make sure that a file can be prepared and it will be sent to the DPP.

“But if at the end of that process, and the DPP is independent, there are still questions that need to be answered, the Government has never nor should it ever rule out an inquiry.”

Gardaí at the scene at the Creeslough petrol Station and damaged apartments where ten people died on Friday, 10-010-2022. Image: Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said an inquiry is a matter of urgency.

“The Garda Commissioner, following that meeting, has publicly stated that a public inquiry can run alongside a Garda investigation,” he said.

“This morning, I'm thinking of Margaret O'Donnell - she's the mother of Catherine, she's the grandmother of James - both of them were victims in the Creeslough tragedy.

“She went to her grave at the weekend without the answers that she and all of the other families deserve.”

A member of An Garda lays flowers to the scene of an explosion at Applegreen service station in the village of Creeslough, © PA Wire/PA Images

The Creeslough Family Support Group, a group representing around 40 people who have been directly affected by the explosion, met with the former Justice Minister Helen McEntee in late October.

The group told the Minister that their trauma to date has been immeasurable and reiterated the families’ calls for an independent public inquiry.

Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe, Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan, 14-year-old Leona Harper, Jessica Gallagher, Martin McGill, James O’Flaherty, Martina Martin and Hugh Kelly were those killed in the explosion.

Main image: Emergency services continue their work at the scene of the explosion in Creeslough, 08-10-2022. Image: PA Images / Alamy