Taoiseach to make formal state apology to Stardust families in the Dáil next week

Survivors of the blaze and relatives of the 48 young people who died will be present in the Dáil as the Taoiseach makes the formal apology.

A spokesperson for the Taoiseach said: “The Taoiseach has invited the families and loved ones of the Stardust victims to meet tomorrow.

“The Taoiseach is eager to listen closely to the families. The Taoiseach has said he is conscious that these families have felt unheard for four decades, and his priority now is to hear directly from them.

“The Taoiseach has also spoken to the two coalition party leaders and members of the opposition. The Taoiseach will seek to address the Dail on Tuesday on Stardust. His priority, however, remains engagement with the families first.”

It comes after Mr Harris earlier on Friday said he hope to meet with the families and said he was "eager to be in a position to apologise to these families".

Speaking to media in Co Carlow, the Taoiseach said: "I have reached out to the families today, and I have offered to meet them tomorrow.

"I am very keen to meet with the families and very conscious that these families have felt unheard for decades and I want to make sure that they know that I'm listening, that I want to hear them and of course I want to be in a position as Taoiseach to apologise on behalf of this country but I think the most appropriate thing to do is to meet with them."

'The cover up has ended and the rising of the truth has begun' - families of victims react to Stardust verdict

Mr Harris said he spoke to Stardust survivor Antoinette Keegan on Thursday, the day when fresh inquests concluded with a verdict of unlawful killings.

"I have reached out today to offer to meet the families tomorrow, if that works for them, or if not at another time of their choosing," he said.

"I am eager to be in a position to apologise to these families but I think it's right and proper that I meet them first."

It came as the Government was urged to "do the right thing" and issue an official state apology over the Stardust fire tragedy.

Meanwhile senior officials said the question of compensation for the families “has not arisen,” when it was put to them that Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s emotional Dáil apology to the victims of religious-run institutions in the wake of the Ryan Report had been followed by a redress scheme.

A political source said it was “a separate process, if there is anything contemplated in that line, compared to the apology.

"The Taoiseach doesn’t decide on any compensation. The situation up to now is that the families have said they are not concerned with money but they very much want a State apology, and that would seem to be indicated very much now by the Inquest verdict, which sets aside that of a prior State tribunal – albeit that the judgement there was previously struck down in 2009.”

Meanwhile the Leinster House authorities and political party whips were frantically re-writing Government business for next week in order to carve a window of a couple of hours for Statements on the Stardust Inquest.

It is understood all parties are amenable to creating the time and space for the apology in order to draw a line under the worst miscarriage of justice in Ireland in recent decades.

Th Butterly family, owners of the Stardust, were paid £581,000 in compensation fro the supposed “criminal damage” to the premises occasioned by the June 1982 Keane Tribunal ruling of “probable arson”.

One source said: “In light of that there are going to be political calls for the families to be properly recompensed for the loss of their loved ones, given that they were the victims of unlawful killing.”

He added: “The Government will simply not be able to resist such a call, as it would preserve the unfairness and be a very bad look. This is in a context where there are Local and European elections coming up. Simon Harris will want to do the right thing.”

A source close to Simon Harris commented: “He is taking control of this now, and isn’t going to let these families be offended by the State again.

"He called them from Brussels as soon as the verdict was delivered.

"Contact is being made with all of them for what I’m sure is going to be a highly-emotional meeting with them tomorrow. There will also be a non-partisan moment in the Dáil.”

Some 48 young people died in the blaze that ripped through the nightclub in north Dublin in 1981.

On Thursday, following fresh inquests, a jury returned a verdict that they were unlawfully killed.

It comes after a previous finding in 1982 that the fire had been started deliberately.

But on Thursday a majority decision from the jury of seven women and five men found the blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Valentine's Day 1981, started due to an electrical fault in the hot press of the bar.

Families of the victims embraced one another after the verdict at the Pillar Room in Dublin city.

Susan Behan, whose brother John Colgan was among those killed, said the Government should issue an official state apology.

"I feel it's important for us because I think we were ignored. I really do feel we were ignored. I feel they were so disrespectful to us," she told RTE Radio's Morning Ireland Programme.

"We were left to our own devices, that shouldn't have been the case, so now it shouldn't be a big deal for them to turn around and say 'we're sorry, we got it wrong', and apologise to us.

"It's the very least they could do and it shouldn't take them a long time to know what to do.

"Do the right thing and give the public apology. We deserve it. Our loved ones deserve it."

She said the verdict on Thursday "meant so much to finally hear our loved ones were unlawfully killed".

"So many emotions. It's been such a long time coming," she said.

"When we heard it, it was just unreal. All those emotions, 43 years, then we finally, finally hear those words. It was just unbelievable. It really was.

"It's very hard to put it into words to be honest because this morning I actually can't believe it. So relieved that finally we have the justice we deserved."

Meanwhile, the Rotunda Hospital said it was honoured to have hosted the inquest over the past year.

In a statement on Friday, the city centre hospital said it “sincerely hopes that the verdicts delivered at the Dublin Coroner’s Court will finally bring some closure to all impacted by the tragic event on February 14th 1981”.

“The Rotunda has a long and proud association with the community and families impacted by the tragedy, a great many of those who lost their lives were born in the hospital,” the hospital said.

Welcoming the findings the Master of the Rotunda, Prof Seán Daly said: “Given our long association with the community involved, the Rotunda were honoured and delighted to act as host for the inquest proceedings and join with the families, friends and numerous others who have welcomed the final outcome.

“I know I speak for all at the Rotunda and particularly those who came into contact with families and friends attending the inquest by welcoming the conclusion of the inquest and sincerely hope the findings finally bring some element of closure to the families impacted”.