Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 December 2013
305. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the support that has been provided to the survivors of the Stardust tragedy and victims' families for the past three years, that is, counselling, financial support and so on; his plans to re-open the investigation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51795/13]
View answerAs the Deputy will recall, the independent examination by Mr. Paul Coffey SC of the case made by the Stardust Victims Committee for a renewed inquiry into the cause of the fire concluded that the original tribunal finding of arson was a hypothetical one only and that no one present on the night can be held responsible. He also concluded that in the absence of any identified evidence as to the cause of the fire, the most another inquiry would achieve would be another set of hypothetical findings, which would not be in the public interest. No grounds have been put forward which would alter these conclusions, which were endorsed in both Houses of the Oireachtas, and there are no plans to re-open the inquiry.
Funding of €424,300 including VAT was provided to assist the Victims Committee with the legal, expert and other costs of participating in the above independent examination. I can also inform the Deputy that, since the Coffey report, new arrangements have been put in place to make counselling available to those victims and bereaved who wished to access counselling services through such a channel. A number of the victims availed of this facility, which remains available. The Deputy will also recall that the question of financial compensation for the victims of the fire was addressed by the Stardust Victims Compensation Tribunal, which made compensation awards to 823 applicants.
