Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

When Deputy Thomas P. Broughan read the list of names of the victims of the tragedy on that appalling night, a real chill descended over the Chamber. That is why we are here. I salute his efforts and his ongoing work to get justice for the victims and their families. It has been a long and often bitter battle by the community and it has shone a light on the failure of the State over 36 years to get answers. It looks like tonight is going to be a continuation of that failure. That is not good enough. This community and the families have still not got the truth and not one person has been held accountable for what happened on that horrific night. That is why we are here. We are here because the other inquiries did not deliver that. Other Deputies explained very clearly that the Keane tribunal not only did not get justice but served to blame the victims and served to be used. His report said that there was no evidence of the fire being started deliberately but then concluded that arson was responsible. How could that be and what did that achieve? I will tell the House what it achieved.

For Mr. Eamon Butterly, it achieved more than €500,000 in compensation and a placing of the blame for this horrific tragedy on the victims. This is the same Eamon Butterly whose mismanagement and reckless policies were pinpointed in the Coffey report in 2008, which noted that had the venue exits been unlocked and unobstructed, people could have exited in a safe and timely manner. In other words, the Coffey report clearly stated the fire should not have happened.

Almost ten years later, however, nobody has been held to account. Twelve years ago, a nightclub fire in Buenos Aires in which close to 200 young people died led to the promoter being sentenced under criminal negligence charges. Seven years ago, in Bangkok, 67 young people died in a similar tragedy. In that case, the owner of the nightclub was charged and imprisoned, with 12 others. Three years ago, in Brazil, 200 people died in a tragic nightclub fire, as a consequence of which the owners were convicted of negligent homicide. Thirty-six years after the Stardust fire, despite all the evidence of criminal negligence, nobody has been held to account. The Government can dress its proposal up however it likes but it serves only to delay matters.

It is an affront to all of us that this proposal is being delivered by a coalition of Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, sadly supported by the Minister of State, Deputy Finian McGrath. These are the same parties that were in power for the past 36 years and have seen all the reports. The only reason this motion is on the business of the House today is that Deputy Broughan pushed for its inclusion. Opposition Deputies' speaking time is very limited; our group gets an opportunity once a Dáil term. It is only because Deputy Broughan chose to prioritise this issue that we have an opportunity to discuss it today.

This House has agreed to the establishment of commissions of investigation in the past. The last Dáil agreed to do so in respect of the "Grace" foster abuse case, but that commission has not even been set up yet. The pre-inquiry the Government is proposing was conducted almost ten years ago and the person who did it, Mr. Justice Coffey, recommended at the time that there be a public inquiry. I urge the Government to revise its stance on this issue. It has until tomorrow to deliver, and further delaying tactics are not good enough. People want the truth and they want accountability, as has been achieved in other jurisdictions. The horror arising from this tragedy runs deep. I have spoken to Leinster House staff who were young people in Dublin at the time of the tragedy. The legacy persists and it will not end until there is a full inquiry. I appeal to the Government to change tack at this late stage and support Deputy Broughan's motion.

See this speech in context