Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

We are all very familiar with the Stardust events and I certainly am because at the time I lived beside the Stardust site in the Pinebrook estate in Artane. As I was the administrator on call in the Mater Hospital that night, I remember it very well. It was for that reason that I decided after 25 years it was time for somebody to do it. Deputy Rabbitte is right in stating that no Government for the past 25 years has taken too much interest in it since the public inquiry — I did. I would like to consider that I got some credit for taking that interest. I will gladly acknowledge that Deputy Broughan has raised the matter with me in the House a number of times over the years.

For that reason I agreed to meet the relatives in the early part of the summer. However, Greg O'Neill, their legal representative, with whom I have dealt on many cases, did not have the evidence available. Deputy Rabbitte can drop the "eventual". When they had the information I met them with the Tánaiste and we had a long meeting. That meeting was about two issues. I am very familiar with all the details in the submission. I met the committee on 18 September when I got the submission and had a chance to look at it. There has been very active and positive consideration to address the issues of concern to the committee and to provide assistance to the families since then.

The first issue they raised with me on that day and in their data was to initiate and oversee a process intended to lead to the identification of the five unidentified victims. The Garda authorities followed a very exhaustive process, because on that day the chief forensic scientist and other senior staff were present. We then pursued it with the Garda. The Garda authorities have agreed to give their full support in the logistics of this process. That will be assisted by the forensic science laboratory with specialist analytical input from the UK. We could not have done that in the past — so it is not a criticism — because it is only in modern times that the DNA would have helped in this. The costs of the process will be borne by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform. These include the analytical expenses as well as the exhumation and reburial expenses and reasonable costs. That was the first issue.

The second issue was as follows. They had an independent evaluation of the evaluation that was done for the independent inquiry — not new information. It is an independent evaluation of the original evaluation. I know the families are very anxious to receive a response to this. They particularly looked for a new public inquiry. They believe that the inquiry of the former Chief Justice, Ronan Keane, was flawed. They asked that these issues be looked at. There are the issues raised by Deputy Rabbitte and a number of other issues as well. However, it centres on the arson-accident issue and the technical issues.

I will give Deputy Rabbitte the answer he knows. It is not within my competence or that of my Department to make the technical, engineering and forensic analysis of this. It is a complex evaluation. After that meeting I asked senior officials, including senior technical officials, to examine these matters fully with an absolutely open mind. I will do anything I can to help these families. I know many of them personally and have met many of them over the years. I have met many delegations on their behalf. They have protested at my office and are protesting outside Leinster House. They believe that such actions highlight the issue. My advice is that it will not help one bit. I will help them to the best of my ability and in every way I can, but I must go on the total assessment made by the people who are independently capable of doing this. I have asked them to do this as fully and comprehensively as possible. When they give me that information, I will give that report. I cannot make a judgment about all the issues and I do not want to make any glib answers. I know what the issues are. I am not in a position to do that. However, there are people who can make that assessment.

We are talking about a very long public inquiry held under the chairmanship of the former Chief Justice, Ronan Keane, with all the advice that was there. They have now come back with their independent analysis of that and I have asked for people to make a judgment on it. I will report that. I will do that as soon as I have it. With the greatest of respect and to be helpful to the people, because I know them all, there is no need for them to be protesting and to be out in inclement weather. As soon as I have that report, I will do that, as I did with the exhumations, which was not a very good area for them to deal with — it was very horrific stuff. The House has my word that I will do that. However, I cannot pre-empt it and I cannot ignore it. I must base it on the evidence I get.

See this speech in context