'We lost our daughter but the driver only got fined' - parents of girl (3) killed in crash criticise driving ban

Truck driver and farmer Senan O'Flaherty (63) was yesterday fined €750 for careless driving causing the death of Estlin on March 15, 2017.

Judge Gerald Keys, sitting at Ennis Circuit Court, also imposed a €750 fine for careless driving causing serious bodily harm to Estlin's father, Vincent Wall, and handed down a four-year driving ban.

Speaking outside the court, Amy Wall said: "When you think the poor man can't work for four years - that's literally the amount of time Estlin had on Earth, so it is hard to equate the two as being fair.

"It is hard to feel that just losing your licence is enough for what we have lost and what Estlin has lost.

"We are very disappointed, it doesn't feel right for the consequences. It is hard to think of all the energy we have put into this over the last three years that have delayed the healing and grieving process and trying to move forward with our lives, that that is what it culminates in - a lost licence, basically.

"To not even get a suspended sentence, it doesn't feel right at all. And there was talk of remorse being shown, which we have not seen at all."

Heavily pregnant with the couple's third baby, Ms Wall added: "It is very disappointing, but we are days away from having another baby, we have a three-year-old and there was nothing that was ever going to bring Estlin back, so that's how we are going to have to think about it in order to move forward.

"The process has been so frustrating and difficult for us and it has ended with a very disappointing sentence, so we just have to accept that and try to keep moving forward and the new baby coming will help us do that."

Mr Wall, who sustained a significant brain injury in the crash, described the sentenced as "very deflating".

Ms Wall described Estlin as "a delight" and a child who had "so much life and vibrancy".

"We just loved her to bits and pieces, and there hasn't been a moment of any day that has gone by where we haven't missed her and wished that she was with us, and we know that this is how the rest of our lives are going to go, missing her every moment of every day," she said.

At around 9am on March 15, 2017, Mr Wall was driving Estlin from their home in Ennistymon to her crèche when a truck driven by O'Flaherty, travelling in the opposite direction, moved to pull out from behind a bus.

When Mr Wall saw the truck perform the manoeuvre, his car mounted a grass verge. It then spun out of control and collided with an oncoming car that was behind the truck.

Handing down sentence, Judge Keys said O'Flaherty, of Lower Gowerhass, Cooraclare, Co Clare, had "a low culpability". He said the only aggravating factor was a previous conviction for careless driving.

Judge Keys said: "In these type of cases, there are no winners or losers. This is a very tragic case which I have considered for a lengthy period of time and with great difficulty."

O'Flaherty had pleaded guilty to both careless driving offences. Each offence carries a maximum penalty of two years in jail.

Imposing a four-year driving disqualification, Judge Keys said: "I'm conscious that this man cannot earn a living for at least four years."