Two-way investigation into tragic death of phone-line repairman

A joint investigation by the Gardaí and the Health and Safety Authority is underway after an eircom subcontractor died tragically yesterday while at work in West Cork.

Sixty-five-year-old Michael O'Riordan, of Riverdale, Skibbereen had been re-errecting a telephone pole which had fallen in last week's storms. He was married with three children.

Mr O'Riordain was working for sub-contractor KN Network Services.

Inspectors from the Health and Safety Authority are attending the scene this morning.

Director of Corporate Affairs at eircom Paul Bradley said it was tragic that such an incident had happened as part of recovery work following the recent storms.

"It's a tragic set of circumstances that as part of the response to the storm damage last week, that something lke this has happened to someone working to repair a telephone line."