Stardust owners sought legal fees from State

FIRE TRAGEDY:THE OWNERS of the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin, where 48 young people died in February 1981, petitioned the government to pay legal fees at the subsequent tribunal of inquiry, State papers show.

The Stardust fire broke out in the early hours of February 14th at a disco where more than 800 young people were celebrating Valentine’s Day. Their escape was hindered by some emergency exits that were locked by chains. Along with the 25 men and 23 women killed, more than 200 young people were injured. Most of the dead came from Artane, Kilmore and Coolock.

The government, then under the late Charles Haughey, set up a tribunal chaired by Mr Justice Ronan Keane to investigate the fire. It began in May.

A letter dated July 1st, 1981, from Kevans Solicitors, for the Butterly family, to the attorney general, said the tribunal of inquiry into the fire had been sitting for 49 days of public hearings. The Butterlys, who owned the Artane complex, had been legally represented at their own expense throughout. The cost was already “extremely heavy” and it was thought the tribunal would sit for a further three or four months, it said. The letter, in a file from the Department of the Taoiseach, requested the government to indicate that the Butterlys’ “costs of appearing at the tribunal would be paid by the government”.

A response from the attorney general’s office was issued on August 17th. It said the government had “carefully considered” the points made, but had decided “not to accede” to the request. It would be inappropriate to do so, given that the Tribunals of Inquiry Act 1979 authorised the chairman of the tribunal to order the payment of costs if “there are sufficient reasons rendering it equitable to do so”.

The tribunal was completed in November 1981 and it concluded the fire was probably caused by arson. The finding legally exonerated the owners from responsibility.

However, two years ago, a separate inquiry found there was no evidence the Stardust fire was started deliberately.

Other documents on the file detailed a commitment given by Haughey to families of the dead that a community centre would be built to commemorate the tragedy and that if family members had difficulty getting compensation once damages had been awarded by a court, the government would provide funds. Incoming taoiseach Garret FitzGerald reiterated the promise of compensation.

The Stardust Victims’ Compensation Tribunal awarded money to the victims and families in 1986, but cases could not subsequently be taken against the Butterly business once compensation had been accepted.

Christine Keegan, who lost two daughters, Mary and Martina, received £7,500 for each.