A CODE of practice for indoor concerts was called for by the jury at the inquest into the death of 16-year-old Bernadette O'Brien.
The teenager died as a result of traumatic asphyxiation at the Smashing Pumpkins concert on May 11th, the inquest heard. She had suffered injuries consistent with pressure all around her in the crush of a crowd and would have lapsed into unconsciousness within minutes. There was no evidence that Ms O'Brien, from Ballymaloe, Midleton, Co Cork, had taken alcohol or drugs before her death.
Three days of evidence from 36 witnesses was heard and after deliberating for half an hour the jury returned a verdict of death by misadventure, with a recommendation that the code of practice be introduced.
The jury did not specify how the code would be operated but several witnesses spoke of it being overseen by a "single authority".
Mr Denis Desmond, the managing director of MCD, the company which promoted the concert, welcomed the recommendation.
In a statement, the management and staff at the Point Theatre expressed their deepest sympathy to Ms O'Brien's family and friends.
The recommendation for a code of practice for indoor concerts could not "be stressed highly enough. Both companies believe that such a code would reduce the chance of a similar tragedy ever happening again in this country", said the statement.
Earlier, when giving evidence, Mr Desmond said he was "devastated and at a loss" following the death of Ms O'Brien and anxious to find out what happened. He had ordered a review of the layout used at the Point and the merits of using a second barrier for concerts. "We are doing everything to make sure there is not a repeat."
MCD has about 60 shows a year at the Point and is responsible for security and crowd management. On the night that Ms O'Brien died there were 110 security personnel on duty.
The inquest heard that £2 million had been spent on safety measures at the Point and more than four million people have passed through the venue since it opened in 1989.
Mr Desmond said: "I have been promoting shows since 1981. Practices such as moshing and crowd surfing are no different to pogo-ing which was around with the Sex Pistols 25 years ago. Kids see these things on TV.
These practices are a form of enjoyment." Ninety per cent of the crowd at the Smashing Pumpkins concert were well behaved, he added.