Stardust families legal fees must be paid for by State

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin TD
16 September 2021

Labour Party TD for Dublin Bay North Aodhán Ó Ríordáin said the State must pay the legal fees of the families seeking justice for the 48 victims of the 1981 Stardust fire tragedy. Describing the event as scarring the Northside for a generation, Deputy Ó Ríordáin said the families’ pursuit of justice must not be stalled by unaffordable legal fees.

Deputy Ó Ríordáin said:

“Stardust was an event that scarred the Northside for a generation. It has been my long held belief that if this occurred in another part of the State, justice would have been reached much earlier. In recognition of the trauma that these families have experienced in the pursuit of justice, the State needs to pay for the legal fees associated with the inquest.

“Forty-eight young lives were lost in the Stardust nightclub that night, with some 215 injured. For many of the families affected, the heartbreak is still very real. The exorbitant cost of legal fees in the State is an issue that has been well played out. Given the sensitivities surrounding this tragedy, I am calling on the Government to take on the legal fees associated with the victims’ families pursuit of justice.

“For many years members of this campaign have been fighting to obtain the truth behind what caused the death of their loved ones. There are still many unanswered questions surrounding the tragedy and the Labour Party supports the work of those seeking justice for the victims.”

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