Niall Ó Donnghaile (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Tá fáilte roimhe. Tá áthas orm go bhfuil seal agam chun plé a dheanamh ar an Bhille atá os ár gcomhair.

The Bill deals with mainly two distinct areas: procedures to allows jurors to be selected for the jury ahead of the Stardust inquest planned for the autumn and measures to help Ukrainians who have settled here under the temporary protection directive.

I extend my sympathy and support to the families of those who lost loved ones in the Stardust tragedy in February 1981, when 48 people, mainly teenagers and young people in their 20s, died in horrific circumstances and over 200 people were injured. I commend the relatives of those who died on their loyalty to their loved ones and the dignified and persistent manner in which they have campaigned for the truth about the circumstances of the tragedy and subsequent events. I have had the privilege of meeting some of those who have led the campaign for truth when they gathered at Leinster House at the invitation of my colleague, Senator Boylan. It was a humbling experience. It is taken the Stardust families 41 years to overcome the many inexcusable obstacles placed in their way and get to the point where a proper inquest will be held into the awful events of 14 February 1981. It is hard to believe the first inquest into the tragedy limited itself to the medical causes of death and ignored many other factors surrounding the tragedy. The families' single-mindedness and focus paid off in January 2020 when the Attorney General directed that another inquest take place.

I acknowledge, and thank other colleagues for acknowledging, the steadfast work of my colleague, Senator Boylan, in raising the issues around the Stardust campaign and tragedy, particularly the issue of the inquest and the jurors' selection. I acknowledge the Minister's willingness to engage with the Senator and to listen to the families and their stories and work with them to achieve proper outcomes.I would like to quote sections of the welcome statement from the Attorney General. It beggars belief that it took four bewildering decades of grief, disappointment and anger for the families to arrive at this point. They have one simple but powerful demand, which is a demand for truth. He wrote, "There was no reference to the surrounding circumstances, in particular the cause or causes of the fire, and it does not appear that questions as to the cause or causes of the fire were canvassed to sufficient degree, if ... at all, at the original Inquests." That is unbelievable. He continued:

Drawing on analogies with the Hillsborough case in England, my view is that where there is a disaster of such magnitude as that which occurred at the Stardust in February 1981 there is, in the first place, the entitlement of the families of the victims to the public revelation of the facts, but also a distinct and separate imperative that the community as a whole be satisfied, even if belatedly, that there be sufficient inquiry at any Inquest held to maximise the chances that the truth should emerge.

I welcome the provisions in this Bill with respect to how jurors will be selected, regarding qualification and liability for service on a jury for the Stardust inquest. It will be an onerous and possibly a protracted undertaking for jurors and they should receive the maximum support available to ensure their civic duty is fulfilled without hindrance.

The Bill also provides for a welcome improvement in the various immigration services available, especially to Ukrainian refugees. Cuirim fearadh na fáilte roimhe sin, rud atá thar a bheith tábhachtach. Since the immoral and inhumane invasion by Russia of Ukraine in February, 36,000 Ukrainian refugees have been made welcome in this State. Like others, I pay tribute to the refugees for the manner in which they have settled in their communities and pay tribute to the host communities for the céad míle fáilte they have extended to our new community. We all know how difficult it is, in what may be loosely described as normal circumstances, for foreign nationals to find their feet here. It is not easy to absorb the life and daily circumstances of living in a different country, even if it is a voluntary choice. How much more difficult must it be for people fleeing a war and finding themselves and their families in a foreign land practically overnight, against their will and choosing?

I welcome the changes to immigration services in this Bill, addressing their availability in different parts of the State, the ability to register anywhere, the online registration service, and the appointment of more registration officers who maintain the register of foreign nationals. This will help to remove some of the stress and emotional turmoil the Ukrainian refugees are experiencing. While it is important, I think that we can all agree that it is quite a modest move in the broader scheme of things. It is exactly what we should be doing to support these people. We have all been privileged to experience the proactive support of communities, neighbours, families and clubs coming together to rally around our new Ukrainian refugee community. I am confident that such support, along with these changes, can make a real, tangible difference, until such a time, hopefully sooner than later, when those who wish to return can return to a safe, secure, peaceful and free Ukraine.