A five-year-old boy who was killed in a road incident in Portlaoise, Co Laois, on Saturday afternoon has been named locally as Aaron Hussain.
Gardaí believe Aaron was hit by a car at Kilminchy, Portlaoise, Co Laois, at about 4.20pm.
The child was taken to Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, with serious injuries. He was pronounced dead a short time later. A postmortem is due to take place.
Aaron was in junior infants in the Portlaoise Educate Together school. His parents Tauqir Hussain and Irina Novikova are well known in the local community where they run two businesses.
“With deep sorrow, we share the heartbreaking loss of our little son, Aaron,” his mother Irina said on social media. “Rest in peace our little angel.”
The woman driver of the car, aged in her 40s, was not injured.
The road was closed overnight and a technical examination was due to be carried out by Garda investigators on Sunday morning.
It is the third death on Irish roads this weekend, after a man died following a collision between a quad bike and motorcycle at Ballynascarry, Finea, Co Westmeath, at about 3.30pm on Saturday. Dean Wearen (26) of Kells, Co Meath, was pronounced dead at the scene.
His body was removed to the Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar, for postmortem.
The male passenger of the quad bike, aged in his 20s, was removed from the scene to Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore with non-life threatening injuries. The male driver of the motorcycle, also aged in his 20s, was taken to the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital and remains in critical condition. No other injuries were reported.
Separately, a woman died after being struck by a car at Comber, Co Down, later on Saturday afternoon.
Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the Portlaoise or Finea collisions to contact them.
Any road users who may have camera footage (including dashcam) and were travelling in Kilminchy, Portlaoise area, between 4pm and 5pm on Saturday are asked to make this footage available. Anyone with information is asked to contact Portlaoise Garda Station on 057 867 4100, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station
Road users who may have camera footage (including dashcam) and were travelling in Ballynascarry, Finea between 3pm and 4pm on Saturday are asked to make this footage available to investigating gardaí. Anyone with information is asked to contact Mullingar Garda Station on 044 938 4000, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.
