Justice Minister seeks resubmission of Stardust reports

THE Minister for Justice, Frances Fitzgerald, was asked to consider holding a new inquiry into the Stardust disaster in the Dáil last week.

The matter was raised by Dublin Bay North Independent TD, Terence Flanagan, on the eve of the 34th anniversary of the Artane nightclub disaster, which killed 48 young people and injured hundreds more.

Deputy Flanagan said:

“The exact cause of the Stardust fire has never been established and it is very difficult for families to come to terms with the fact that no-one has ever been brought to justice for what happened.

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In her response, Minister Fitzgerald noted that barrister Paul Coffey SC had been appointed in 2008, with the agreement of the Stardust Victims’ Committee, to review their case for a new inquiry.

“Mr Coffey’s report concluded that, in the absence of any identified evidence as to the cause of the fire, the most another inquiry could achieve would be another set of hypothetical findings, which would not be in the public interest,

? the minister stated.

Minister Fitzgerald said she met with representatives of the victims’ committee last July to hear their concerns first hand.

She told the Dáil:

“With regard to the question of any new evidence that might warrant the consideration of a further inquiry, two reports compiled by a researcher associated with the committee were submitted to my department last year. My department was given to understand that a further third and final report would be submitted in due course. However, no final report was submitted and the researcher concerned requested the return of the two reports that had been submitted. In compliance with this request, the reports were returned to the researcher concerned.

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She added:

“I have the greatest sympathy for all those affected by the fire and understand, of course, that those involved in the committee remain convinced that their explanation for what happened on the night is, in fact, what did occur. As I have outlined, my department has requested that the decision to withdraw these reports be reconsidered. If these or any other submissions are received, they will be examined in detail and a response issued to the committee in due course.”