A VERDICT OF accidental death was recorded in the case of a Wexford council worker killed during Storm Eunice.
The Health and Safety Authority has said that lessons need to be learned for how county councils utilise staff during severe weather warning following the death of a Wexford council worker during Storm Eunice in 2022.
The comments were made during the inquest into the death of Wexford County Council worker, Wiliam ‘Billy’ Kinsella, from Ballythomas Hill in Gorey, Co. Wexford, who was working to clear debris from a road leading to the local school near his home when he was fatally injured after a tree came down in strong winds.
Jimmy Stanley, told the inquest that on February 18, 2022, he had been using his JCB digger to help move trees on the road in the aftermath of Storm Eunice when he came across workers from Wexford County Council and aided them in their efforts to clear a roadway at Ballythomas.
James Byrne, Foreman at Wexford County Council, stated that, on the morning the weather had calmed down and the workers were on site to clear the roadway for a local funeral.
The council workers had come across a tree which was tangled in a telephone line and were assessing how to proceed with the situation.
Mr Kinsella, he said, had gone into the nearby field to assess the treeline when another tree started to fall following a sudden gust of wind.
The men could not see Mr Kinsella in the field but called out to him, when they got no response they went into the field where they discovered Billy (Kinsella) and called the emergency services.
Trevor Ryan, Inspector with the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) prepared a report on the incident.
He relayed what had happened on the day, adding, that Wexford County Council are permitted to work in an orange weather warning. He stated that since the day in question all trees have been removed from the ditch in this area.
Ryan said there are lessons to be learned from this and a letter has been issued to Wexford County Council to review their training.
There is currently an extreme weather protocol in place which will be updated once training became available.
A file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in this matter in which they directed non-prosecution.
Fiona Reynolds, Coroner for Wexford, recorded a verdict of accidental death.
