Bodies of Irish victims in Tunisia attack arrive in Dublin

The bodies of the three Irish victims killed in the Tunisia terror attack last week have arrived in Dublin.

The remains of Lorna Carty from Robinstown, Co Meath, and Martina and Laurence Hayes from Westlodge, Athlone, arrived in Dublin airport in the early hours of Thursday morning

Ms Carty was in Tunisia on a sun holiday to help her husband Declan recover from a heart attack. Husband and wife Martina and Laurence Hayes, a couple in their 50s, were also on holiday when Tunisian student Seifeddine Rezgui opened fire on a beach in the Sousse region on Friday.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan said on Wednesday that the formal identification process of the bodies in Tunisia had been completed.

“In terms of dealing with the authorities there we expect that over the next 24 hours the bodies of the deceased will be returned to Dublin and thereafter the funeral arrangements will take place at the behest of the families.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that assistance from the Garda Síochana had helped with the identification of the bodies of the Irish killed.

"Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade staff, Ambassador David Cooney and Consul Ms Caoimhe Ní Chonchuir, continue to support the Carty and Hayes families at this difficult time. They have assisted the families to finalise the repatriation arrangements of their loved ones to Ireland, " said the statement.

A minute’s silence was held in the Dáil on Tuesday for the victims, while flags flew at half mast on Government Buildings .

Books of condolences were also opened in Meath, Athlone and online by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.

The funeral for Mrs Hayes and her husband, known as Lonnie, will take place at the Church of Saint Peter and Paul in Athlone on Friday at 11am.

A spokeswoman said the families of the deceased have asked for privacy at this time.

Irish tour operator Sunway said on Wednesday it had suspended its Tunisia holiday programme after the attack.

A spokeswoman for the company said due to the current uncertain situation in Tunisia, it decided to suspend the weekly flight schedule to Monastir from this Friday July 3rd until the situation is clarified.

“Our return flight on Friday, July 3rd, from Monastir to Dublin will go ahead as scheduled. We have not taken this decision lightly but believe it to be in the best interests of our customers,” the spokeswoman said.

A flight containing the bodies of eight Britons killed in the attack flew back to the UK on Wednesday afternoon.

The C-17 military transport aircraft left Tunis airport bound for Brize Norton in Oxfordshire where it was met by the relatives of the eight victims.

The flight, which arrived at 3pm, contained the bodies of Adrian Evans, Charles Evans, Joel Richards, Carly Lovett, Stephen Mellor, John Stollery, and Denis and Elaine Thwaites, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said.

So far 29 of the 38 who lost their lives at the resort of Sousse on Friday have been formally identified as Britons — with police still seeking to confirm the identity of one more also believed to be from the UK.

The names of more of the British victims have continued to emerge. John Welch (74) from Corsham, Wiltshire, and his partner of eight years, Eileen Swannack (73) regular visitors to the beach resort, were among those killed. Wounded Britons have already been brought back to the UK, with four severely-injured holidaymakers flown home.

Tunisian president Beji Caid Essebsi said an investigation was under way into security failures and armed tourist police would be on beaches.

Additional reporting from PA