THE family of a teenage girl who died during the Greenvale Hotel tragedy has backed calls for a public inquiry.
Lauren Bullock (17) was one of three young people who died as they queued for a disco at the Cookstown venue on St Patrick's Night three years ago.
Morgan Barnard (17) and 16-year-old Connor Currie were the other two teenagers who lost their lives in the March 2019 crush.
Lauren's grieving mother Mary Bullock spoke for the first time last month about the impact the loss of her much-loved daughter has had on her and husband Martin.
She recently wrote to Justice Minister Naomi Long after it emerged she has agreed to review an initial decision not to order a public inquiry.
That request had been made by the parents of Morgan Barnard.
Ms Long indicted she will revisit the issue later in the year.
Ms Bullock last night said her family also wants to see a public inquiry set up.
"One hundred percent we back that. One hundred percent, that needs to be done," she said
The Greenvale tragedy is currently the subject of separate PSNI and Police Ombudsman investigations.
Ms Bullock believes the events that led to the loss of her daughter's life were preventable.
"This needs to never happen again," she said.
"Health and safety needs to be better at venues that children are going to, any venues.
"We have to live with this heartbreak every day knowing that our child should be here and could be here."
Last month, a Police Ombudsman file relating to five PSNI officers was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
An investigation file linked to 11 people was also sent by the PSNI to the Public Prosecution Service last year.
In a recent statement a spokesman for Ms Long said it would not be appropriate to "instigate" an inquiry ahead of the completion of the police investigation and consideration by the PPS "in order to avoid any risk of prejudicing the outcome of potential criminal proceedings".
The spokesman said the matter will now be brought forward for review in September and that Ms Long has written to ministerial colleagues making them aware of the inquiry request.
She also confirmed executive approval would be required for any public inquiry.
Morgan Barnard's father James Bradley last night said he and the teenager's mother, Maria Barnard, agree with the call made by the Bullocks.
