merrion street

Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore has expressed his sympathy to the families of the two students who died following this morning’s fire in Leuven, Belgium:

I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to the families of Dace Zarina and Sara Gibadlo, who lost their lives this morning in Leuven. My thoughts are also with their fellow students at the Institute for Ireland, who have been through a terrible ordeal. Our Ambassador to Belgium, Eamonn Mac Aodha, has visited them in hospital and he and his colleagues will continue to offer every assistance. We are also working with the Polish and Latvian Embassies in Dublin and Brussels to help in any way we can. I would also like to note the bravery of the residents and fire department of Leuven who risked their own lives to help students escape the fire.