Workers Solidarity Movement

A Dublin inquest last week heard how a young Ballymun mother died of hypothermia  after Dublin City Council turned off her heating during what was described as “perilously cold” weather in January of last year.

30-year-old mother of 2, Rachel Peavoy, had contacted the Council when her heating was turned off and was told that it could not be turned back on because her neighbouring flats were empty due to ongoing regeneration.

Having asked her mother to mind her two sons, Ms. Peavoy was found dead in her flat the following morning.  The garda who attended the scene described the flat as “freezing”.  The pathologist found that she had died of hypothermia.

Counsel for Ms. Peavoy’s family, Dr. Ciaran Craven called for an inquiry into how a “young woman with no other system disorder died of hypothermia.”

The coroner adjourned the inquest until February 24th pending further investigation of the coldness of Ms. Peavoy’s flat.

Important questions remain to be answered. 

WORDS:Gregor Kerr