ALMOST €1.9 MILLION has been raised to date for the Creeslough Community Support Fund.
Ten people, including three children, were killed in the blast at the Applegreen service station in Creeslough on 7 October, 2022.
The 10 people who died in the tragedy were: Robert Garwe and his five-year-old daughter Shauna Flanagan-Garwe; fashion student Jessica Gallagher; Celtic fan Martin McGill; Sydney native James O’Flaherty; Catherine O’Donnell and her 13-year-old son James Monaghan; shop worker Martina Martin; 14-year-old Leona Harper; and carpenter Hugh Kelly.
The Creeslough support fund was established three days later by the Irish Red Cross, in partnership with An Post and Applegreen.
As of this week, €1,878,476 has been raised through the fund.
Close to 70% (69.7%) of this was provided via corporate donations, while 21.6% of the total came from online donations by the public.
In a statement to The Journal, the Irish Red Cross said “the speed and flexibility with which the Fund was set up and became operational was essential”.
The spokesperson said this “bridged the gap until statutory services, such as Social Protection, HSE and others, could mobilise to assist”.
The Irish Red Cross said it was able to provide “swift emergency financial support”, as well as psychological support, in the immediate days after the explosion.
This included emergency payments for things like clothing, lost wages, and funeral-related costs.
The money raised also allowed the Irish Red Cross to maintain a continuous presence on-the-ground in Creeslough since the end of October 2022.
This is now being phased out gradually, but this presence is said to have “allowed for a significant level of coordination to develop with statutory agencies and for liaison with the local community”.
The Irish Red Cross spokesperson said this was a “good example of state, voluntary sector and community all pulling together”.
Of the almost €1.9 million raised to date, more than €1.7 million (€1,706,857) has been spent in direct emergency funding and pre-planned lump sum payments.
This included support for bereaved families and others over the first Christmas period and since, and lump-sum payments to bereaved families, those injured, and those who lost their homes.
Meanwhile, €11,942 has been spent on “vouched direct costs”, including travel and accommodation, in order to maintain a regular presence in Creeslough.
The Irish Red Cross notes that it “bore the significant salary and related costs of maintaining an on-the-ground presence by appointing a senior staff member to augment the Red Cross volunteers operating locally”.
Tax advice and professional advice was taken to ensure no tax liability would arise from any payments made from the fund, which cost €11,859, and a further €13,588 has been spent on third party online transaction charges, deducted from the likes of PayPal and Stripe.
The remainder, equalling €134,230, is earmarked for ongoing trauma support and “contingency for new claims that may arise requiring financial support over the next year”.
The Creeslough community identified access to ongoing trauma support as a priority.
The Irish Red Cross said “these plans will be agreed with the Creeslough Community prior to implementation”.
The organisation added that it consulted the community to ensure that all donations are used effectively and as needed to assist those affected.
Three consultation meetings have been held with bereaved families and others.
Reflecting on the 12 months since the tragedy, the Irish Red Cross notes that “all bereaved families and those injured have received significant financial support from the fund, in addition to emotional support from Irish Red Cross staff and volunteers”.
The spokesperson added that all those who were made homeless because of the explosion have been rehoused by Donegal County Council and that the fund “contributed significantly” towards this.
The Irish Red Cross also provided a testimony from a beneficiary who said of the impact of the fund and donations from the public:
“‘I lost everything – my home, my job, my proof of identity. Without being able to identify myself I couldn’t even apply for a Social Welfare payment – I only had the clothes I stood up in and a few euro in my pocket.
“It costs time and money to get proof of your identity back – passport, birth certificate, driver’s licence, public service card. I relied on the generosity of strangers just to live while I reconstructed my life and I’m very grateful for that.”
The secretary general of the Irish Red Cross Deirdre Garvey said: “As we remember those impacted by this devastating tragedy a year ago, we would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the people and businesses of Ireland who were so generous and empathetic in their response.
“Nothing can replace what was so cruelly lost on that day, but the Irish Red Cross and its members stand in solidarity with the people of Creeslough and together we honour those who so cruelly lost their lives, lost family or loved ones, those injured, and the many people whose homes or livelihoods were lost of affected.”
In addition to the Creeslough Community Support Fund, the Irish Red Cross also established the Creeslough Small Business Humanitarian Scheme.
This separate scheme, funded by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, provides financial support to small businesses impacted by the explosion.
In all, 25 small local businesses benefited from a total amount awarded of €223,475.
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