Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The conduct and scheduling of the Stardust inquests is entirely a matter for the Senior Dublin Coroner, Dr. Myra Cullinane – her independence in relation to such matters is set out in the Coroners Acts 1962-2020. The role of my Department is to support the Senior Dublin Coroner in carrying out the inquests.

Dr. Cullinane has begun her work on this matter, and 13 pre-inquest hearings have been completed to date. The fourteenth pre-inquest hearing has been scheduled by the Senior Coroner for 15 June 2022.

During 2021, a bespoke courtroom was built in the RDS to facilitate the Stardust inquests. This contract expired in February 2022. The RDS venue was used to hold eight pre-inquest hearings (with the remainder held in the Coroner’s Court in Store Street) and was also used to hold 97 other Dublin Coroner inquests.

My Department was pleased to confirm to the Senior Coroner on 8 February 2022 that it had secured a new venue for the Stardust Inquests; the Pillar Room in the Rotunda Hospital. This followed a period of intensive engagement on my Department’s part with the OPW to secure an appropriate venue in advance of the expiry of the RDS contract at the end of February.

The courtroom has now been installed in the Pillar Room by the OPW and will be ready in advance of the start of the inquests. It is anticipated that the Pillar Room will be used to hold the next pre-inquest hearing in June.