The Attorney General has said he drew on comparisons with the Hillsborough soccer disaster when he decided to open a new inquest into the worst fire in Irish history.
A fresh hearing will take place into the blaze at the Stardust nightclub in Artane, North Dublin, on Valentine’s Day 1981 in which 48 young people died.
It was granted by Seamus Woulfe in September after a renewed campaign by families and survivors.
This week, he wrote to the solicitor for the families, Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law, detailing the reasons for his decision.
In the two-page letter, he said: “After careful consideration I decided to exercise my discretion in favour of directing that further inquests be held.
“I consider this to be in the public interest and in the interest of justice.
“Drawing on analogies from the Hillsborough case in England, my view is that where there is a disaster of such magnitude as that which occurred at the Stardust in February 1981 there is, in the first place, the entitlement of the families of the victims to the public revelation of the facts.
But also a distinct and separate imperative that the community as a whole should be satisfied, even if belatedly, that there should be sufficient inquiry at any inquest held to maximise the chances that the truth should emerge.”
However, Mr Woulfe went on to add he has concerns any inquest may not be able to ascertain how the fire started, an area where other hearings have also failed.
Officials originally ruled the cause of the Stardust fire was arson, a theory never accepted by bereaved relatives who said it tarnished the reputations of those who died.
The families felt this directly mirrored the Hillsborough disaster in April 1989 in which 96 people died and 766 others were injured during a crush at an FA Cup match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest, which was later wrongly blamed on the fans themselves.
The Stardust arson ruling was later discounted following a fresh inquiry in 2009. Inquiries into the fire showed a number of escape routes from the dance hall were blocked because emergency doors were locked by chains.
Concerns have also been raised about the investigation of the scene, which allowed politicians and media representatives to walk through the building just days later.
Despite findings of safety breaches there were no prosecutions.
An initial finding of probable arson meant relatives of the dead and injured were unable to sue club owners and operators for alleged negligence. In 1983, the owners of the Stardust were awarded damages of more than €730,000 after suing Dublin Corporation.
Families and survivors have been lobbying the Irish Govern- ment for years in order to obtain a fresh inquiry.
Antoinette Keegan, who survived the fire but lost her two sisters– Mary, 19, and 16-year-old Martina – said the families finally believe they are being listened to.
She added: “For him (the Attorney General) to make that statement like that, to say it’s Ireland’s Hillsborough, we thought that it was fantastic and a clear reference to the way we’ve been treated over the years.
“It’s going to be tough, really hard, this is going to be the toughest time, going back to that night, I don’t even know how I’m going to cope.”
The families and their solicitor are keen to speak to Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan before the inquest begins.
Ms Keegan said: “We’re anxious to get it going, we want no stone unturned.”
It is hoped the inquest will begin in early spring.
