Funeral to be held for four family members killed in Waterford house fire

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A funeral mass will take place on Monday afternoon in the Irish city of Waterford for Philip and Kim English and their sons, 12-year-old Callum and nine-year-old Jayden, who were killed last week on Tuesday in a suspected arson attack.

Two other children, aged six and 14, were rushed to hospital, where they remain in a critical condition following the Birchwood estate blaze.

The coffins were brought to Sacred Heart Church in Waterford on Sunday afternoon, where the bodies were laid in repose for family, friends and community members to come to pay their respects.

The coffins were driven to the church in four hearses, and after the bell rang, they were carried inside.

The family will be buried in Kilbarry Cemetery following the 1pm mass, which will be led by parish priest Father Gerry Chestnutt.

President Catherine Connolly will be represented by her aide-de-camp, and the Government is to be represented by chief whip Mary Butler.

Several businesses are expected close in Waterford as a mark of respect to the family.

A man and a woman have appeared in court on charges connected to the suspected arson attack.

Cian Stacey, 21, and Jessica Dalton, 31, on Saturday appeared at a special sitting of Clonmel District Court, charged with two counts of assault causing serious harm and one count of criminal damage.

Both were remanded in custody, and will appear before Waterford District Court on Tuesday.

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly on Friday said he anticipated further arrests would be made in connection with the suspected murders, which he characterised as “an absolutely horrendous crime”.

The son of Mr English, John James English, said on Thursday his family were murdered as a result of somebody else’s 20,000 euro drug debt, the Press Association reported.

The family had been targeted for a while but were not affiliated with drugs and were “innocent”, he told RTÉ News.

“Twenty grand worth of a debt; is that worth nearly five lives?”

Garda Commissioner Justin Kelly said on Friday there were measures to protect people experiencing drug-related intimidation.

”Drugs-related intimidation, this is part of the drugs business, and this is part of the drugs business everywhere, in every country,” Mr Kelly said.

“It is a very difficult thing for An Garda Síochána to deal with. We have put a number of steps in place to support people who do want to come forward. I would certainly encourage people to come forward and speak to us about it.”

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