Stardust families will not get full costs of research

The families of the 48 young people killed in the Stardust tragedy 26 years ago say they have been told they will not have their full costs, arising from an examination into their claims for a full public inquiry, paid by the State.

Antoinette Keegan, spokeswoman for the families, said yesterday their solicitor had had an independent assessment of their costs carried out by Connolly Lowe, legal costs accountants.

The firm had arrived at a figure of €880,000, to include costs thus far for research and expert evidence gathered by the families.

A letter from John Kennedy, principal officer at the Department of the Taoiseach, to the families' solicitor, dated April 17th, says the Government is willing "to assist the families with the legal costs arising from the examination - but not to include the considerable research and activity involved in the previous preparation of the report".

Ms Keegan said that at a meeting in the department last week, she asked Mr Kennedy who would be responsible if the families' costs exceeded €300,000.

"And he said: 'The Stardust families would be.' We just can't believe they are putting a price limit on the lives of 48 people. We are getting caught in the middle again in a row about costs."

Forty-eight young people were killed and more than 200 injured in the fire, which engulfed the nightclub in Artane in the early hours of February 14th, 1981.

The families have never accepted the findings of the original inquiry chaired by former chief justice Ronan Keane, which found that the fire was probably started deliberately. They have consistently called for a full public inquiry.

Earlier this month the Government appointed John Gallagher SC to examine their case.

Their solicitor, Greg O'Neill, wrote to Mr Kennedy earlier this month indicating it had been "an abiding concern of the families that at the time of the tribunal of inquiry [ in 1981] that those representing the families were considerably under-resourced in comparison to the other parties represented".

These other parties included the various arms of the State, the Butterly family that owned the Stardust and their insurers.

A Government spokesman said yesterday arrangements for the independent external examination were being progressed "as quickly as possible". He added: "Our offer of support to the families for the presentation of their case will reflect an assessment of a reasonable provision for the process."