Taoiseach vows justice after deadly fire attack on Edenderry house kills two

Four-year-old Tadhg Farrell, and Mary Holt, 60, died in the house fire in Edenderry Co Offaly on Saturday. Picture: Garda Info

The Taoiseach has vowed that those responsible for the deaths of Mary Holt and Tadhg Farrell will be held to account, condemning the attack as “savage, callous and reckless.”

Gardaí have previously condemned a "reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home" that killed the four-year-old boy and 60-year-old woman.

A murder investigation has begun into the fire at a home in Castleview Park, Edenderry, Co Offaly, which also seriously injured a woman in her 50s.

Speaking on Monday morning, Micheál Martin said: “My thoughts are with the families of Tadhg Farrell and Mary Holt. This is a savage, callous and reckless attack on a family home that has led to their death. 

"The level of inhumanity is difficult to comprehend. This violence will stop in our society. Those responsible for this criminal attack will be brought to justice, and no effort will be spared by the gardaí and by the state to ensure that that happens.”

All three victims are related and from the Edenderry area, where a sense of disbelief hung over the town on Sunday.

Fire services responded to the blaze on Saturday night and brought it under control but were unable to save two of the victims.

Gardaí at the scene of a house fire in Edenderry, Co Offaly, where a woman and a young boy have died. Picture: Aisling Hyland/PA Wire

Gardaí say the house was deliberately targeted and they appealed for public help to find those responsible.

They are working to establish the motive behind the attack.

"This was a reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home," said Superintendent Liam Geraghty.

"The house has been declared a crime scene and is currently subject to technical examination by the Garda technical bureau.

"The office of the local coroner and the state pathologist have been notified."

An autopsy was due to be carried out on Sunday.

Gardaí carried out door-to-door enquiries on Sunday to try to piece together the events leading up to the attack.

"This murder investigation is being co-ordinated from an incident room at Tullamore garda station under the direction of a senior investigating officer," Supt Geraghty added.

The scene of the house fire in Edenderry. Picture: Aisling Hyland/PA Wire

The Taoiseach appealed for anyone with information to cooperate with Gardaí, adding that society is “numbed and shocked at this level of savage violence.” 

Mr Martin noted that justice minister Jim O’Callaghan is “determined” to stop attacks using accelerants, which he described as a “form of attack that is gaining” in Ireland.

Minister: 'No place in civilised society for such heinous violence'

Earlier Mr O'Callaghan called on the public to help gardaí catch the killer, or killers.

"I strongly condemn the deliberate, callous attack on a house in Edenderry, which sadly resulted in the loss of two lives, including a young child. There is no place in a civilised society for such heinous violence," Mr O'Callaghan said.

Local councillor Fergus O'Donnell said the whole town is "absolutely distraught."

"I know all these people personally, and the families are ordinary, salt of the earth people, hard working and for something that just to happen, it's just unreal," he told RTÉ.

Gardaí are appealing for anyone with information on the incident to speak with investigating officers.

They have asked to speak with anyone who was in the vicinity of Castleview Park or adjoining roads between 7pm and 8pm on Saturday, or who was driving in the area and may have dashcam footage.

The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Tullamore garda station on 057 932 7600.