Sale of cars to minors may be made an offence

The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, is investigating the possibility of making the sale of "end-of-use" cars to minors a …

The Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan, is investigating the possibility of making the sale of "end-of-use" cars to minors a criminal offence.

The necessary legislation could be included in the proposed Road Traffic Amendment Bill scheduled to come before the Dáil next January, a spokesman for the Minister said yesterday.

The proposed action comes in the wake of the death on Friday night of two Co Clare friends, Lorna O'Mahony (13), and Stacey Haugh (16), both of Marian Estate, Kilkee, who lost their lives after a 15-year-old boy crashed a car into a seawall at the west Clare village of Carrigaholt.

The 19-year-old car in which Lorna and Stacey were back seat passengers had been bought for €150 hours before the fatal crash on Friday.

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Hundreds of mourners turned out at St Senan's Church in Kilkee to celebrate the life of Lorna who was described by Father Donogh O'Meara as "a beautiful young girl who was in love with life".

"She was never happy until everyone else around her was happy," he said.

Father O'Meara said that Lorna loved her family and was especially close to her mother Geraldine. "She never left the house without a kiss and saying to her mother 'I love you'."

Hours before her death on Friday, Lorna sent her mother a text message saying "I Love You".

Lorna is survived by her mother Geraldine, father Eddie, brothers David and Keith, and sisters Deborah and Karen.

It emerged yesterday that the boy who was driving - currently under care at Ennis General Hospital - was being accommodated at Westside House in Galway city. The home is one of four homes operated by COPE Ltd in Galway city. A spokeswoman for Westside House declined to comment on the circumstances surrounding the boy leaving Westside House, but said that staff cannot prevent any child from leaving the home.

It is understood that the boy's father is living in Galway, while his mother lives in Kilkee. The boy had been a resident at Westside House for the past two months after returning from London.

A spokesman at Kilrush Garda Station said that gardaí were still waiting to interview the 15-year- old to establish the circumstances in which he purchased the car and other aspects surrounding the tragedy.

A second 15-year-old boy injured in the accident was under care at Ennis General Hospital yesterday, while Stacey Haugh's younger brother, Karl, remained stable at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Dublin.

The removal of Stacey's body took place in Kilkee last night and her funeral is to take place in the west Clare resort today.