Martin vows to follow up on issues raised by Stardust families

Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Charlie Bird, and INMO president Karen McGowan sit at the memorial unveiled on Monday to the victims of the Stardust tragedy, at the INMO's Richmond Education and Event Centre, Dublin. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

The Taoiseach has promised to follow up on issues raised by the Stardust families after meeting campaigners.

Micheál Martin met with the families of those who lost their lives in the tragedy after unveiling a special bench in their memory outside the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) headquarters.

Mr Martin said he had listened to the relatives' concerns around the new inquest into the deaths, including the handling of jurors.

Fresh inquests into the Stardust fire were first ordered by the Attorney General in September 2019, but have yet to get fully under way.

'Extremely anxious'

Last week, the families said they were “appalled and extremely anxious” at the possibility of proceedings being delayed, as a coroner heard submissions on the potential for a verdict of unlawful killing to be excluded from the upcoming inquests.

"I have undertaken to go back to the minister for justice and pursue some of the issues that they raised with me further," said Mr Martin after the meeting.

At the unveiling of the bench along with a second bench in memory of those who died during the pandemic, INMO general secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha said the organisation is pleased to offer a space for families of those who lost their lives tragically both in the Stardust fire and during Covid.