Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 June 2013
655. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if any alterations were made to the Stardust fire tragedy report (details supplied) in view of the fact that the families have concerns. [27107/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra749. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality in view of the recent new information on the Coffey Report and the research carried out on the Stardust disaster of 1981 during recent years, if he will now establish a Commission of Investigation into the matter under the McDowell legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27944/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 655 and 749 together.
As the Deputies are aware, Mr. Paul Coffey SC was appointed in 2008 by the then Government, with the agreement of the Victims Committee, to review the case made by the Committee for a new inquiry into the fire.
Mr. Coffey publicly invited submissions from all interested parties and the Committee gave oral evidence over three days and made written submissions as to their case for a new inquiry. His report was published in January 2009. He 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 further 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 then Government accepted Mr. Coffey’s findings and motions were passed in both Houses of the Oireachtas endorsing his conclusions and expressing sympathy with the families. No grounds have been put forward to alter that situation.
Insofar as the receipt of the report is concerned, the position is that Mr. Coffey’s final report was submitted on 7 January 2009. An earlier draft of the report had been submitted on 10 December, dated 8 December on the basis that Mr. Coffey had asked to be permitted to make amendments for the purposes of correction, accuracy and clarification prior to its publication. For the avoidance of any doubt, I should make it clear that no attempt was made to influence Mr. Coffey’s drafting or to suggest any amendments. It is the report of 7 January which represents Mr. Coffey’s final and entirely independent advice to the Government on this matter.
