Minister Shatter settles Connemara air accident civil claim
Galway Bay fm newsroom - The Minister for Justice Alan Shatter, expressed has "sincere regret" for the events which led to the death of a 21-year-old trainee Air Corps pilot on a flight training mission in Connemara in 2009.
His comments were heard during a civil action taken by the father of the deceased at Galway Circuit Civil Court.21 year old Cadet David Jevens of Glynn, Co Wexford, along with his flight instructor, 32 year old Capt Derek Furniss, from Rathfarnham, Dublin, died when their two-seater training plane crashed near Cornamona on October 12th, 2009.Donal Jevens sued the Minister for Defence and the Attorney General following his son's death.At Galway Circuit Civil Court , Conor Roberts for the Jevens family, informed Judge Raymond Fullham that liability had been accepted, and that there was permission for judgement for his client for the maximum amount.Counsel for Minister Shatter, Barrister John Kiely, read aloud a statement from the Minister which expressed his "sincere regret" for what happened.It stated three separate investigations into this tragic accident had all agreed Cadet Jevens "bore no responsibility of any kind" for the accident.The Minister agreed to pay maximum damages of €25,395 and also agreed to pay for the Cadet's funeral expenses and his headstone, bringing the total to €36,535, plus legal costs.Afterwards, Mr and Mrs Jevens said the Minister's statement which totally exonerated their son, meant a lot to them.