Gilmour tragedy raised at Board

Adam died after being struck by a car as he, his mother and siblings were walking to school along a rural road outside the village of Cloughmills. Three weeks before the horrific smash, Adam’s mother Sarah had pleaded for the Board to provide transport for her young children from their home to primary school.

Last week, Sarah Gilmour laid the blame for her son’s death at the Board’s door.

She said she would be unable to face ever returning to her Cloughmills home as it would mean passing the scene of the fatal crash.

Speaking after the meeting with the Board, Mr. Allister, a North Antrim MLA, said: “I had a straight-talking meeting with the Chief Executive of the NEELB and his senior officials, arising from the tragic death of young Adam Gilmour. I was accompanied by Adam’s grandmother and cousin.

“I was disappointed by some of the answers received. For example, when I pressed the very obvious question that if this family found the courage to return to their home, would they be provided with the transport they had hitherto been denied, the Board claimed to not yet have an answer.

“I find it astounding that 4 weeks after I first contacted them, and with Adam now dead, the NEELB is avoiding this basic question. The best I secured was the promise of an answer next week.

“It was poignant and disappointing to discover that it was not till the morning of the tragedy - three weeks after I’d contacted them - that relevant Board officials had sat down to discuss my request for a review. That meeting was then aborted when word of the tragedy came through.

“It is necessary that the Board address all the issues raised and demonstrate that lessons have been learned from this tragedy. I await tangible evidence that this has happened.”