STARDUST CAMPAIGNERS STAGED a sit-in in the Department of Justice over the investigation into their relatives’ deaths.
Antoinette Keegan and Eugene Kelly told TheJournal.ie they would will not leave until they receive a letter from David Gilbride from the department saying there will be a new investigation into the nightclub blaze.
They concluded the sit-in after receiving a response from the department that they were satisfied with.
In 1981, a devastating fire at the Stardust nightclub killed 48 people and left 214 injured.
Unhappy
The Stardust campaigners are unhappy with the Coffey review and Keane report into the tragedy, and are calling for a new investigation.
Researcher Geraldine Foy made a submission on behalf of the campaigners last year.
Today, Antoinette Keegan, who lost her sisters Mary and Martina in the fire, said that she was told Gilbride’s initial findings would be ready last week.
“My phone bill is high, I’m ringing here everyday to see if they’ve done anything,” she said.
In particular, she wants to know if material submitted on a 999 call on the night of the fire will be included in evidence in any investigation.
She said if it is not included, she wants her two sisters’ names taken out of the tribunal as “that is not the fire they died in”.
“Enough is enough”
Keegan is joined by Eugene Kelly for the sit-in.
“I think enough is enough,” said Kelly. “We’ve gone down these channels long enough.”
He said they feared that with the upcoming summer break, they would not hear from the Department of Justice on the issue until later in the year.
“We played by their rules and enough is enough. We’re prepared to not leave the building so we get a bit of satisfaction today.”
The Department of Justice has been contacted for a comment on the sit-in.
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