Dublin South West TD, Seán Crowe, has welcomed the announcement of a new coroner’s inquest into the Stardust fire tragedy where 48 people were killed and hundreds injured on St. Valentine’s night in 1981. The Sinn Féin TD said the government must now devote sufficient resources to ensure that the families of those who died 38 years ago do not have to wait any longer for answers.

Deputy Seán Crowe said:

“The families of 48 people who died in the Stardust fire in Artane, the hundreds who were injured, many of whom received life changing injuries including 3^rd degree burns, never stopped campaigning for an inquest into the tragedy and I am delighted that it will finally happen.

“The fire on St. Valentine’s night in 1981 changed many of us from that generation. Innocents and innocence was lost and you never feel quite relaxed in crowded halls or rooms.

“The families have never given up on their struggle for justice and have fought to keep their loved ones’ memories intact in the effort to discover the truth about what really happened that horrific night.

“I have met many of the families over the decades, seen their highs and their lows, and I am humbled by their relentlessness, their determination, and their passion for justice

“Justice delayed is justice denied and I dearly hope that this is the opportunity for them to get the simple answers they seek.

“Many of the parents and siblings of the young people who died have  passed away without the necessary answers they sought about what caused the fire and who was ultimately responsible for them being caught in that fire trap

“The Government must now ensure that sufficient resources are put in place so that the families do not have to wait any longer than they already have. 38 years waiting for basic answers is more than any loved one should have to bear.”

ENDS