Man and woman arrested in connection with arson attack in Waterford

The victim's son says he knows who killed his family members and is not scared of them.

A man in his 20s and a woman in her 30s were arrested on suspicion of facilitating a criminal organisation.

They are being questioned at a garda station in the southeast.

One of the current lines of inquiry being followed in the murder of a Waterford family is whether the attack was given on the order of a Traveller gang boss.

The son of victim Philip English, 20 year-old John James English, said the murders may have been ordered over someone else’s €20,000 drug debt.

John James English said he knows who was involved and he is not scared of them.

The arson attack claimed the lives of Philip English, and his wife Kim. Two of their children died alongside them 12 year-old Callum and nine year-old Jayden. Jayden had a heart surgery just two weeks ago.

Gardai have confirmed post-mortems on the four deceased have been completed. 

Callum's local football club Johnville FC said: "Kim and Philip were familiar and friendly faces around our club, always there supporting Callum at his matches. It is incredibly difficult to comprehend that a family we knew so well has been taken from us in such tragic circumstances."

Two children remain in hospital are Nadia who is 14 and Elliot is six.

Detectives are now investigating whether a Waterford criminal with a ­history of drug debt intimidation was paid to attack the home.

The house in the Birchwood ­estate was firebombed at around 5am on Tuesday. Gardai have also been alerted to a car owned by a woman who may have been involved and was seen in Waterford in the early hours of Tuesday.

Gardaí continue to appeal to any person who was driving in the vicinity of Birchwood, or the adjoining roads, who may have dashcam footage or images to make such footage available to investigating Gardaí.

The family had requested to be moved due to previous attacks on the home. The home of Ann English, who was Philip's first wife, had also been petrol-bombed.

The council doesn't transfer people on the basis of anti-social behaviour, but the family did report medical issues and overcrowding as well as intimidation in their home, over a number of years.

They had spoken with multiple, TDs, Waterford council, and a number of councillors.