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View Full Version : Girl's life valued at €2.50 a day, says father



Andrew49
17-05-2012, 09:07 AM
A father yesterday claimed his six-year-old daughter’s life, which was lost in a house fire, was valued at only €2.50 a day.

Frank Jinks told his daughter Sarah’s inquest, finally concluded after 13 years, that the €28,500 compensation he received added up to €2.50 a day – a sum he “would have no problem giving . . . to get my daughter back”. Their Sligo town council house, was fitted with inflammable wood covered in beautyboard. Mr Jinks, who suffered burns to his arm, back, face and hair trying to rescue his daughter, told coroner Dr Desmond Moran and the jury:
“One good thing might have come out of this. All the houses in Sligo have now been refurbished by the corporation.”

LINK (http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0517/1224316239567.html)

Terrible story really and shows how little some lives are valued in this Republic.

Building houses made of beautyboard! Not as far-fetched as you might think. I remember working on a IT project in the late-80s and early-90s and I had occasion to visits some houses in a council estate. Some of the houses were built in the late 60s and into the 70s. The fronts and backs of the houses were built with asbestos sheets, and the frames of the windows were made of white deal and the front and back doors were also made of white deal wood ... at the time I was on this project these sheets were being replaced with .... beautyboard!

Kitty O'Shea
17-05-2012, 10:14 AM
The inquest took 13 yrs to conclude? Why on earth would it take so long? I agree the sum of money is small to a grieving father.
As for the beautyboard, I've seen that used to divide wall in this house I'm living in. The house was totally refurbished a few years ago. The builders ripped it all out apparently they were giving out to everyone within earshot...."The house is a timberbox... could go up in flames"...

Holly
17-05-2012, 11:53 AM
The coroner is a disgrace.