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The Taoiseach has agreed to meet with survivors and relatives of victims of the Stardust fire after they staged a sit-in at Leinster House.<\/p>\nThe Taoiseach has agreed to meet with survivors and relatives of victims of the Stardust fire after they staged a sit-in at Leinster House.<\/p>\n
The group had said that they would not leave the premises today until they received written confirmation of a meeting with Leo Varadkar over their campaign for a new inquest.<\/p>\n
48 young people died in the Stardust nightclub in Artane, Dublin, on Valentine\u2019s Day in 1981 in what is considered the worst fire disaster in the history of the state.<\/p>\n
Antoinette Keegan, who survived the fire but lost her two sisters, said the group has had enough of being ignored by the Government.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have attempted to contact Leo Varadkar over and over about a meeting and we have had no response,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Stardust was the biggest disaster in the history of the state, why can\u2019t the leader of this country stand up and face his responsibilities and listen to our concerns?<\/p>\n
\u201cDavid Cameron was able to face up and apologize for Hillsborough and Bloody Sunday, why can\u2019t Leo face us?<\/p>\n
\u201cWe just want to speak to him, to let him hear our side of the story. We have no intentions of moving, and won\u2019t be leaving until we get confirmation that the Taoiseach will meet with us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The group had been in the building meeting Independent TD Finian McGrath, and decided to stay on in an attempt to convince Mr Varadkar to meet them.<\/p>\n
After around two-and-a-half hours in Leinster House, the group received word that the Taoiseach would be \u201chappy\u201d to meet them and their solicitor in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
The Taoiseach\u2019s office said they will contact the group to organize a date and time.<\/p>\n
In a statement, the group thanked the independent TD for his help.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe would like to thank Finian McGrath for being true to his word and speaking directly with the Taoiseach on our behalf, who has now agreed to meet with the Stardust Victims Committee and our legal representation,\u201d a statement said.<\/p>\n
Relatives and survivors have been campaigning for a new inquest for a number of years, and say they have found new evidence.<\/p>\n
Officials originally ruled that the cause of the fire was arson, a theory that was never accepted by the families.<\/p>\n
It was later ruled out following a fresh inquiry in 2009.<\/p>\n
The most recent campaign began in June, and saw the families gather signatures on postcards petitioning the attorney general for a fresh inquest.<\/p>\n
Travelling the length and breadth of Ireland, the tally stood at more than 48,000 signatures, 1,000 for each victim of the fire.<\/p>\n
Their initial request to meet the Taoiseach last year was denied and they were referred to the Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan, as Mr Varadkar\u2019s office said it fell under the remit of the Department of Justice.<\/p>\n