A coroner has formally closed the investigation into the deaths of a man and his two children who died in a drowning incident in County Donegal in August 2020.

John Mullan, 49, and the couple's children, Tomás, 14, and Amelia, 6, died when their car left the road and slid down an embankment at Quigley's Point on the night of 20 August 2020. The family was returning from a day out in County Derry before the children were due to return to school.

Geraldine Mullan survived the incident. She was separated from the vehicle and stood on its roof before being rescued by passers-by.

The coroner, Dr Denis McCauley, announced the closure of the coronial investigation at Letterkenny Courthouse. The inquest had been adjourned under Section 25.2 of the Coroner's Act to allow criminal proceedings to be completed first. Evidence of identification and cause of death had been given when the inquest was opened in January 2023.

Dr McCauley found that all three deaths were due to drowning. He stated that he was not required to reopen the inquest unless special reasons existed. Because all matters were addressed at a criminal trial and Geraldine Mullan gave evidence there, he determined there were no special reasons to subject her again to the distressing circumstances. He also engaged with her before making the decision.

Dr McCauley praised Geraldine Mullan's courage and fortitude, saying the situation had changed her life completely. He also acknowledged the professional investigation carried out by An Garda Síochána.

The criminal proceedings involved roads company White Mountain Quarries Ltd. In July, the company was fined a total of €1.2 million at Letterkenny Circuit Court after pleading guilty to two counts relating to works being carried out on the R238 road at the time of the incident. The family had been travelling on that road.