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The Stardust justice campaign traveled to Strasbourg on Tuesday to meet with the office of the Human Rights Commissioner.<\/p>\nThe Stardust justice campaign traveled to Strasbourg on Tuesday to meet with the office of the Human Rights Commissioner.<\/p>\n
Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan hosted the meeting with Lauri Sivonen, the adviser to the Commissioner at the Council of Europe Dunja Mijatovic, and the families to outline their fight for a new inquest.<\/p>\n
48 young people died when a popular nightclub in Artane, Dublin, was destroyed in a blaze on Valentine\u2019s Day in 1981 in what is considered the worst fire disaster in the history of the state.<\/p>\n
The families have petitioned the Attorney General for a new inquest, citing fresh, previously unrecorded evidence.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday\u2019s meeting was very productive, and worthwhile,\u201d Ms Boylan said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe solicitor for the campaign outlined the legal case for requesting a new inquest, and how the experience of the Stardust families was symptomatic of the difficulties that Irish citizens can experience in accessing justice.<\/p>\n
\u201cFundamental human rights have been violated in the case of the Stardust and it was important that the families were able to detail their personal experiences in trying to access justice for the last 37 years.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is incredible that those who survived the fire have never given evidence on what happened that night.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile the Council of Europe can\u2019t make recommendations on individual cases, it is important that the case of the Stardust and the broader issues of accessing justice were brought to their attention.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would hope that when the Human Rights Commissioner next visits Ireland, she would consider making access to justice one of her priorities, especially applications made under Article 2, the right to life and would make recommendations to the Irish Government on reforming the system.\u201d<\/p>\n
Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, Belfast, a solicitor for the families, said the case for a new inquest is indefensible.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday is a pivotal step forward in the Stardust families\u2019 campaign for truth and justice,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe raised the deficiencies and ineffectiveness of the previous investigative processes, and why there is now an indefensible case for a fresh inquest.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe EU Commissioner on human rights was very receptive and as such we now look forward to further engagement in the coming weeks.\u201d<\/p>\n
Investigations into the fire showed that a number of escape routes from the dance hall were blocked as emergency doors were locked by chains. Concerns have also been raised about the investigation of the scene, which allowed politicians and media to walk through the building just hours later.<\/p>\n
Despite findings of safety breaches, there were no prosecutions over the incident.<\/p>\n
The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has offered to meet with the families and campaign members to discuss their campaign.<\/p>\n