Gardaí investigating a house fire in Clonroche, Co Wexford are treating the deaths of a family of four as suspicious.
The scene outside the two-storey house in Clonroche, Co Wexford.
The victims have been named as 41-year-old Dermot Flood, his wife Lorraine 38, and their children, seven-year-old Mark and Julie who recently turned five.
Garda Superintendent Kevin Donohue said that all four had injuries consistent with being in a fire, but that the two adults had other injuries beyond that. However, he said until the results of a full post mortem examination had been carried out, he could not detail what those injuries were.
The bodies of Lorraine Flood and her daughter were found in upstairs bedrooms, Mark's body was discovered on the landing of the two-storey house. Mr Flood's body was found in a downstairs living room.
Supt Donohue confirmed that a licensed firearm was found in the house.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Declan Gilsenan has carried out a preliminary examination of the scene. Post mortem examinations are due to begin at 11am tomorrow morning. The bodies, which had remained at the scene all day, were removed from the house this evening.
Supt Donohue refused to be drawn on whether or not the firearm had been discharged and criticised media speculation on the possible circumstances of the family's deaths. He said that the investigation was still at an early stage.
He also appealed to members of the media present, on behalf of the families of the deceased, to give them privacy during this difficult time.
For the last few years Dermot had been running his father's business, Sean Flood Water Filtration, and was well known across Wexford.
Lorraine had worked for an insurance company in the nearby port town of New Ross before becoming an aerobics instructor and running keep fit classes in the local parish hall.
The mother-of-two was a first cousin of Reading and Ireland international footballer Kevin Doyle.
Both Dermot and Lorraine's family were well known in GAA circles across the county.
The fire broke out at around 5.30am this morning. A neighbour raised the alarm and fire crews from Enniscorthy rushed to the scene. Members of the public tried to reach the family but were beaten back by the flames.
Fire crews managed to put out the fire.
The Labour Party's Wexford TD Brendan Howlin said the "tight-knit" community of Clonroche was devastated after the tragedy.
"People in the village are reeling from this dreadful incident and it will take a long time for them to come to terms with it," he said. "I wish to express my deepest sorrow to members of the local community and to those bereaved."