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56 mins ago
A SCHEME OF payments to survivors who were injured in the Stardust fire in north Dublin in 1981 has been labelled “disappointing” by lawyers representing survivors.
The payments were announced today by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan.
The fire on Valentine’s night in the popular Stardust nightclub in Artane claimed the lives 0f 48 young people and injured hundreds of others. An inquest determined in 2024 that all 48 had died as a result of unlawful killing.
The nightclub had many of its exits chained shut and windows blocked, trapping people inside when a fire broke out.
A 1985 tribunal awarded compensation to a total of 823 people who were injured in the blaze. These 823 are eligible for the ex gratia payment announced today.
Ex gratia payments are voluntary lump sum payments offered without any legal obligation or admission of liability.
Darragh Mackin of Phoenix Law said the payment scheme announced is a “very disappointing development” and “one size does not fit all”.
“Those with life changing injuries are consigned to the same category as those who left early,” Mackin said, referring to those who were compensated during the 1985 tribunal.
“It is not too late to salvage this process before confidence is eroded beyond repair. The previous process tells us that the key to confidence is constructive engagement. Despite previous promises, and for reasons unknown, that has not happened.
“We simply ask the Minister to engage to ensure that the voices of victims are heard and previous promises are honoured.”
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan, a longtime campaigner for the Stardust families, said the announced scheme was disgraceful and Government has stepped back from key commitments regarding compensation of survivors.
“There was a commitment given to the families that a consultation process would be used to design the scheme, but there has been zero consultation,” Boylan said, adding that many of the families first heard of the scheme upon its announcement today.
“Another key issue is around exceptionality. Simon Harris is on record in the Dáil committing to a sliding scale of compensation for the victims.However, the scheme announced by the government today will use a flat rate, contrary to what the government committed to.”
Boylan said Government must go back to the drawing board and develop a “proper” compensation scheme that takes these factors into account.
The scheme announced will mark the end of steps taken by Government to address matters arising from the long-awaited inquest in 2024.
Phase one, which was completed in August 2025, concerned the families of the 48 people who were killed in the fire. Today’s scheme approved by Government is phase two, and applies to all those survivor beneficiaries of the original Stardust Victims Compensation Tribunal.
Each person will be eligible to receive a fixed recognition payment of €20,000, which will be disregarded for tax and state support assessments.
The applications process will open for six months and payments will be made to those eligible as soon as possible. Based off the 823 people eligible, the potential maximum cost of phase two is €16.4m, Government said.
O’Callaghan said he is conscious that the 45th anniversary of the tragedy is imminent and remembered the 48 victims who lost their lives, and their families.
“I also want to recognise today the survivors who were injured during this horrific event.
“I am determined that the process that will now be implemented will be as simple as possible. It will not place a significant burden of proof on survivors, or be overly bureaucratic, and it will be accessible without legal assistance.
“It is not intended to constitute ‘compensation’ for the injuries and trauma sustained by those who survived the fire, as that was the scope of the original tribunal, but instead, what is proposed is a payment which recognises the delays in providing truth and justice.”
