Vol. 549 No. 4
201 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government his views on whether a new public inquiry should be established into the cause of the Stardust Club fire in 1981 and the treatment of survivors and victims' family members in the past 21 years. [7044/02]
Pursuant to a resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas, the Government established a tribunal of inquiry on the fire at the Stardust, Artane, Dublin in February 1981. The tribunal's remit was to investigate the causes and circumstances of the fire and subsequent loss of life, and to make recommendations in relation to the fire service, fire prevention and related matters. The tribunal sat for 122 days and its 1982 report sets out its detailed examination, conclusions and recommendations on these issues.
All of these recommendations have received full and careful consideration and have either been implemented or taken into account in the ongoing formulation of policy on fire safety and the development of the local authority fire services in the intervening period. Improvements have been carried out on a comprehensive basis, covering such areas as the financing and equipping of the local fire service, its organisation and staffing, training, the legislative framework and emergency planning. A further public inquiry into the cause of this tragic fire is not proposed at this stage.
A separate Stardust compensation tribunal was appointed by the Minister for Justice in October 1985, following a Government decision and a resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas. Under the chairmanship of the Honourable Mr. Justice Donal Barrington, its remit was to make ex gratia awards to those who suffered as a result of the Stardust fire. I understand that there have been no calls for a review of the work of this tribunal.
