Call renewed for commission of investigation into Stardust

Independents 4 Change TD Tommy Broughan has renewed his call for a commission of investigation into the Stardust fire 35 years ago.

Mr Broughan first called for a commission 10 years ago on the 25th anniversary of the nightclub fire in Dublin in which 48 people died and more than 200 were injured.

He accused Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald and former justice minister Alan Shatter of "stonewalling" on a commitment during the 2011 election by Taoiseach Enda Kenny that "there would be a new commission of investigation".

In the Dáil yesterday Mr Broughan said “this seems to have been one of the greatest cover-ups in Irish history”.

But Ms Fitzgerald said she had put a process in place where the Stardust Relatives and Victims Committee could liaise directly and intensively with Department of Justice officials “who have given a huge amount of time to this issue over recent months”.

She pointed out that the programme for government “contains a commitment that full regard will be had for any new evidence that can definitively prove the cause of the Stardust fire” and said it was committed to working with the families.

Mr Broughan said, however, that over the years he had heard “the mantra about new evidence” from Ms Fitzgerald and Mr Shatter, but there had been a “litany” of investigations that created a category of new evidence not assessed at the time. He said the findings of the Keane tribunal in 1982 which concluded the fire was the result of arson were “systematically demolished by the finding of new and unassessed evidence”.

Ms Fitzgerald said one should always “ have an open mind and not rule out the possibility of a further inquiry or omission of investigation in appropriate circumstances”.

That was why they were taking very seriously the evidence the committee was presenting. She said they had to consider it carefully “given that a previous government asked for a second report and received a very detailed report that drew certain conclusions”.