Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the families here today. This is one of a long number of traumas that they have faced. They should not have to be here today. That is the reality of it.

I grew up in Raheny and I was seven years old that night and I remember it very well. However, no one has the experience that any of the families have in relation to the events of that day. I was listening to the debate in my office and I heard some of the Senators say it is shocking that we are still here 41 years later. Actually, we are only starting a process 41 years on.

The families have been waiting for justice all of that time. Although I am glad we are finally coming to the beginning of that, it should not, as I said, have taken this long. The original inquest finding was very disappointing, to say the least. There is now finally an opportunity to establish the facts and give families the truth about what happened that night.

However, there have been so many obstacles and delays in the process, whether it is around legal aid, the choice of venue or resourcing. All of these things have played a part in almost retraumatising people. So often we come in here and talk about retraumatising people and it is through our legislative process and often through our juries because of the selection process. I absolutely appreciate and support Senator Boylan’s Bill and what she is trying to achieve.There are often technical issues with Bills and that is what later Stages are for. I hope to hear from the Minister what she can do to replicate this in some way, if the technical aspects of it are as great as we have been led to believe. Some of these things can be done and can be achieved. I know that 47 of the 48 families were deemed to be above the threshold for legal aid. This seems quite surprising. It shows that the level of trauma the families are going through is not being taken into account and it should be. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, signed regulations to allow legal aid on an exceptional basis for the Stardust inquest regardless of means. I hope to see progress with this. It is a very good move.

Finding a venue has been a challenge. Why is this the case? The Dáil and Seanad were in the convention centre. That happened pretty fast. The pre-inquest hearings were in the RDS. Almost inexplicably, that lease is coming to an end this month. I know the Minister has guaranteed another venue. This is trauma after trauma. No one should have to fight this hard for justice. We call ourselves a developed country but people fight for their own justice and have to advocate for themselves. We are all here today trying to advocate as well but we should not be here doing so 41 years later.

I thank the families for coming along. I am thinking of all of those who are not here this evening. There are the 48 who lost their lives but more than 200 people were hurt that night as well. I am thinking of all of them. Listening to debate after debate and finding venues has an impact on the hundreds of families and on all of us who lived around that time and who used to go past the Stardust and who saw it play out in front of us.