Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform his plans to make a public apology on behalf of the State to the survivors and relatives of the 1981 Stardust tragedy in view of the findings of the landmark 2009 Coffey report and the rebuttal of the arson finding of the earlier, now discredited Keane report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37984/10]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will meet a delegation of the Stardust Victims and Relatives Committee in the context of the 2009 Coffey report and address all outstanding issues from the 1981 inferno at the Stardust nightclub; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38161/10]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 197: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform the reason the victims of the Stardust Fire disaster in 1981 have not had verdicts recorded on their deaths as stipulated under the 1962 Coroners' Act; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37982/10]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 203: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform his plans to make a public apology on behalf of the State to the survivors and relatives of the 1981 Stardust tragedy in view of the findings of the 2009 Coffey report of the arson findings of the earlier, now discredited Keane report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38160/10]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 204: To ask the Minister for Justice and Law Reform if he will meet a delegation of the Stardust Victims and Relatives Committee in the context of the 2009 Coffey report and address all outstanding issues from the 1981 inferno at the Stardust nightclub; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38162/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 191, 192, 197, 203 and 204 together.

As the Deputy will recall, on 3 February 2009 I moved a motion in this House which noted the report of Mr. Paul Coffey SC into the investigation of the Stardust tragedy and acknowledged that the cause of the fire is unknown, that the original finding of arson is a mere hypothetical explanation not demonstrated by any evidence and that none of the persons present on the night of the fire can be held responsible for it. The motion went on to express continuing and deep sympathy with all of the victims and bereaved of the tragedy. I am pleased that the motion had the unanimous support of Dáil Éireann and that a similar motion was subsequently unanimously supported in Seanad Éireann. It was also important that members of the Stardust Victims Committee were able to be present at both significant events. At the time I myself expressed the hope that this very formal and public acknowledgement by the Oireachtas might provide some small amount of resolution or closure to the families.

In moving these motions, and acknowledging that the cause of the fire is unknown, the Government implemented in full Mr. Coffey's primary recommendation, fulfilling the commitment inherent in the decision to establish an independent examination of the Committee's case, in accordance with terms of reference agreed with the Committee. Insofar as his discretionary recommendation concerning outstanding medical and counselling needs is concerned, arrangements have been put in place to provide services to those victims or bereaved who wish to access such services through this channel and a number have chosen to do so.

I can also inform the Deputy that there are ongoing discussions with the Stardust Victims Committee concerning the forthcoming 30th anniversary of the tragedy and related matters and am pleased to note that arrangements have been made for officials to brief local Deputies on how this event might be approached.

Finally, insofar as the coroner's verdicts in these cases is concerned, under the Coroners Act 1962, a Coroner is a statutory officer exercising quasi-judicial functions in relation to which he/she is independent and neither I nor my Department has any role in individual cases or in reviewing the verdict in any particular case.