The High Court is to consider whether a book containing tenants' complaints to Sligo Corporation should be produced at an inquest into the death of a six-year-old girl in a fire at a house owned by the local authority.
Mrs Philomena Jinks, mother of Sarah Jinks who died in the fire in January, told an inquest yesterday she had complained on six occasions in the months before the fire to the corporation about the condition of the house and electrical faults in it.
Counsel for Sligo Corporation, Mr Joe Carter, objected to an order by the coroner, Dr Desmond Moran, for the book to be produced and applied for a judicial review in the High Court of his decision. Mr Carter said he believed the matter was "irrelevant to the findings of an inquest" and did not fall within its remit. He said the legislation said questions of civil or criminal liability should not be investigated at an inquest and that it was "a matter for another day".
The coroner said that "for completeness" he would like to see the book, as requested by the family's legal representative. "I would like to see that everything is looked at. What is there to hide?" Dr Moran asked. Mrs Jinks told the inquest she had made about six complaints to the corporation between October and December 1998 and an employee had written these in a book.
She said there had been problems with the electricity. When the television was switched on, the kettle would go off, and when the kettle was switched on, the washing machine would go off. They had repeatedly to put the trip-switch back on.
"All they did was send up an electrician and he did nothing. He just walked away," Mrs Jinks said.
The inquest heard that Mrs Jinks, her husband, and three children were staying with her two brothers, John and Val Conlon, at 53 St Edward's Terrace while their own house was being built in Riverstown.
Sarah, who was sleeping in an upstairs bedroom with her mother, her sister Brid (9), and brother Philip (2), when the fire broke out in the early hours of January 9th, 1999.
Mr Frank Jinks said he was in the living-room with his wife's two brothers when the fire started. When he opened the door to go upstairs to bed, he was met with thick black smoke. He rushed upstairs to the bedroom where his wife and children were sleeping but when he got them downstairs he realised Sarah was missing.
He forced his way past two men to go back upstairs and went on his knees to try to find her.
"All I could hear was crackling and there were red balls of fire and thick black smoke," Mr Jinks said.
Mrs Jinks said that as she left the bedroom she had Philip in her arms and Brid was hanging onto her. Brid had Sarah by the hand. When they got to the bottom of the stairs she realised Sarah was missing.
"Brid said Sarah had let her hand go. She just slipped away," Mrs Jinks said.
The inquest was adjourned pending the High Court judicial review, which the inquest heard could take between six and 12 months.