British and Irish politicians offer condolences following fatal crash

British and Irish leaders have offered condolences to the family and loved ones of the five young people killed in a crash in Co Louth on Saturday night.

Speaking at a press conference in Farmleigh House after the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) in Dublin on Monday, Tanaiste Simon Harris said “a veil of sadness and shock and heartbreak continues over our country”.

He added: “All of us are thinking in our hearts and in our minds of all of those who lost their lives.”

Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan described it as a “harrowing experience for all concerned, and it brought a terrible cloud over the country, on what was otherwise a very happy day for Ireland”.

The British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland described it as a “terrible loss”.

Hilary Benn spoke on behalf of himself and his parliamentary under-secretary Matthew Patrick, saying: “Our hearts go out to the friends and families who have been so affected by what has happened.”