Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

The further recommendation of Mr. Coffey that "if such an acknowledgement cannot be made whether by this method or any other appropriate method of the Government's devising, this of itself would prove the need for a further limited inquiry to clarify the public record" provides irrefutable evidence that the 1982 Keane report was flawed.

The core of Mr. Coffey's final report, therefore, adopts and accepts one of the long-standing key arguments of the Stardust victims' committee that the original tribunal's "finding of fact that the fire was probably caused deliberately is based on hypothesis and not established by evidence and is for that reason inherently unsatisfactory".

I note that conclusion is fully reflected in the Government's motion before us. The full legal implications of this finding have not yet been fully comprehended and digested and I am aware that the report is still being carefully studied by the Stardust victims' committee and its advisors. I regret, however, that the fifth part of the motion does not clearly apologise for the grief and distress endured by the relatives and survivors because of the Keane tribunal finding.

The second most critical recommendation of Mr. Coffey relates to the establishment of a committee to monitor finally the progress of the victims and their relatives and ensure that counselling and medical treatment, where necessary and appropriate, are afforded to the survivors and the bereaved at the expense of the State.

Some Stardust survivors and relatives may be disappointed that a new inquiry has not been recommended in this report, and it must be stated that for the past five years the committee has been seeking a commission of investigation under the McDowell legislation and not a tribunal.

I share some of that disappointment although I am delighted that the Coffey report has rejected the key finding of the original tribunal report and fully vindicated the work of the Stardust victims' committee. I still believe there is a case to be made for a new comprehensive but short commission of investigation under the 2004 Act to address fully issues of the cause of and wider culpability for the fire.

Besides the immediate cause of the fire there are the wider issues of responsibility under the planning and building control regulations of the time and the obstruction of the Keane tribunal by Eamon and Patrick Butterly. Dublin Corporation building control section certainly knew the Stardust was a dangerously-run building before the disaster and many of my constituents believe the owners, and Dublin Corporation, should still be prosecuted for their failures.

However, this night belongs to Christine, Antoinette, Gertrude, Brid, Willie, Jimmy, Linda and all of the other Stardust survivors and families who fought so hard in memory of their 48 beloved family members who perished on that awful night in 1981. I hope they will now find some measure of closure and peace in their lives.

It is also appropriate at this time to remember each of the tragic young victims of 14 February 1981: Michael Barrett, Richard Bennett, Carol Bissett, James Buckley, Paula Byrne, Caroline Carey, John Colgan, Jacqueline Croker, Liam Dunne, Michael Farrell, David Flood, Thelma Frazer, Michael French, Josephine Glen, Michael Griffiths, Robert Hillick, Brian Hobbs, Eugene Hogan, Murtagh Kavanagh, Martina Keegan, Mary Keegan, Robert Kelly, Mary Kennedy, Mary Kenny, Margaret Kiernan, Sandra Lawless, Francis Lawlor, Maureen Lawlor, Paula Lewis, Eamon Loughman, George McDermott, Marcella McDermott, William McDermott, Julie McDonnell, Teresa McDonnell, Gerard McGrath, Caroline McHugh, Donna Mahon, Helena Mangan, James Millar, Susan Morgan, David Morton, Kathleen Muldoon, George O'Connor, Brendan O'Meara, John Stout, Margaret Thornton, Paul Wade.

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