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24 Oct 2025
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24 Oct 2025
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The director of an Irish college in Belgium is facing jail in relation to a fire which claimed the life of a Longford student two years ago.
Dace Zarina (22), a former student at Meán Scoil Mhuire, and fellow student Sara Gibaldo died as a result of a blaze at Belgium’s Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe on January 31 2014.
Director of the Leuven Institute for Ireland in Europe, Malachy Vallely has been accused of using his apartment as a "cash cow" for 23 years by renting it back to the college.
Both Ms Zarina and Ms Gibaldo were students at Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology and were in the process of completing a work placement at the Belgian college when tragedy struck.
The court has been adjourned until 5 September 5 when a verdict will most likely be delivered.
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