Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the families in the Gallery, some of whom I met outside and on the street. I met people from my constituency - Alison and Heather. Her mother was unable to come today. They are weary and tired from fighting for justice for so long. I salute them.

The disaster has been a long-standing symbol of injustice in our country and not the only one. Some of the 48 people who lost their lives in the Stardust were just teenagers. The youngest victim was only 16 while the oldest was 27. The families of the victims have been let down by successive governments, by the State and by the legal system. Although it is time for the State to apologise and establish a victims' and families' compensation scheme, it is crucial to acknowledge that no amount of compensation will ever bring back their loved ones who were lost in the Stardust. A compensation scheme serves a different purpose. It is not a solution to the pain and grief caused by loss but is a tangible recognition of the State's neglect of and failure to protect its citizens. This is happening all over this country. The establishment of a compensation scheme free from obstacles is a necessary step towards justice. It acknowledges the time the families have lost, their angst and the struggle they have endured in their quest for justice. The scheme should not be seen as a mere financial settlement but as a symbol of the State's commitment to righting the wrongs of the past, which are many and awful. Moreover, this compensation scheme should serve as a reminder of the State's responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens and to prevent such tragedies from happening in the future. It is a testament to the resilience of the families, their unwavering pursuit of truth and their right to justice. It also calls for accountability, justice and a pledge for a safer future.

It is a promise that lives lost in the Stardust will never be forgotten and that the legacy will continue to inspire change and foster resilience in the face of adversity.

I compliment and salute the coroner, Dr. Cullinane, as well as those in the Dublin Fire Brigade, who were famous at the time and still are to this day. I salute them on the work they do but the Government will not pay them, recognise them or give them proper treatment and respect. The fire officers took severe actions at the time to ensure the safety of all of our public buildings, nightclubs, public houses and so on.

For years, the families were looking for a judgment and the verdict of unlawful killing finally brought some relief. The verdict announced by the jury at the inquest for the 48 young people who tragically lost their lives in the 1981 nightclub fire was met with a mix of emotions. It is so sad. I was in Dublin that night as a young man. I was at the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis and I was staying in a hotel. We were terrified, frightened and horrified at what happened. I remember the apology and the closing down of the Ard-Fheis the morning after.

We can never imagine or walk in the shoes of the families who are here today. However, there are many more families walking in their shoes today, and I can imagine why. There is Fr. Niall Molloy, who was brutally killed at a wedding in Offaly. Fr. Molloy had Tipperary relations. There is the Whiddy Island disaster, where 50 people lost their lives. There are John O'Brien and Pat Esmonde of Tipperary, who were literally murdered off the coast of Helvick ten years ago, with no investigation. It is cover-up after cover-up. I will mention Shane O'Farrell, that young cyclist who was mowed down unceremoniously on the road while out for a cycle. I salute his mother, Lucia, for the effort she is making to get justice.

What is wrong with our system? We founded a State. Our forefathers fought and gave their lives in the GPO and all over the world and got our freedom and our new State. However, we inherited a system from the English to cover everything up, with nothing to see here. Our people are being denied justice, day in, day out. There was the unlawful killing of the young Rossiter boy in Clonmel Garda station. Again, it was covered up. The wrongdoing is going on, day in, day out, to this very moment. It is probably happening to many families with Tusla at the moment, given what is happening with young children in the care of the State going missing.

In the name of God and his Blessed Mother and the dead generations, I appeal to the Government, if it is ever going to find any moral compass, to stop this rot that is there. We have a Minister for Justice who will not even go to the Garda conference. The Commissioner was not even asked, nor should he be. I do not blame them for that as they have no confidence in him. Will you stop the rot? Stop trying to destroy our very culture, our fabric, our being, and infiltrating our country and overrunning it with migrants from God knows where. Look after the people who need to be looked after and have respect for your duty under the Constitution to serve the people. Serve the Irish people, not self-serving. Why did that businessman-----

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