Minister Jim O’Callaghan announces recognition payment for survivors of Stardust fire
- Foilsithe:
- An t-eolas is déanaí:
- Scheme for survivors marks Government’s continued commitment to address the important matters arising from the 2024 Inquest
- This scheme (Phase Two) shall apply to the survivors of the fire who received payments from the original Stardust Victims Compensation Tribunal
- Each survivor will be eligible for a recognition payment of €20,000 and the scheme will be straightforward to access
The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration Jim O’Callaghan, has today announced a scheme of ex gratia recognition payments to survivors who were injured in the Stardust fire.
This will mark the conclusion of several steps the Government has taken to address matters arising from the 2024 inquest. Phase One (completed in August 2025) concerned the families of those who were unlawfully killed at the Stardust. Phase Two, which was approved by Government today, applies to all those survivor beneficiaries of the original Stardust Victims Compensation Tribunal.
Announcing the scheme, Minister O’Callaghan said:
“I am very conscious that the 45th anniversary of the Stardust tragedy is imminent.
“In announcing the details today of Phase Two of the recognition payments, I want to remember the 48 victims who were unlawfully killed during the terrible events of 14 February 1981 and their families, who continue to deal with the legacy of such a profound and terrible loss.
“I also want to recognise today the survivors who were injured during this horrific event.
“This will fulfil the Government’s commitment to implement a two-phased approach to Stardust redress. Payments in respect of Phase One of the redress, for the families of those so tragically killed in the fire, were completed in August last year. Phase Two, which I am announcing today, will provide for ex gratia recognition to all survivor beneficiaries of the original Stardust Victims Compensation Tribunal.
Minister O’Callaghan continued:
“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.
“Given the passage of time, it is also of the utmost importance that the proposal does not give rise to any further trauma for applicants. My department will now prepare arrangements for the implementation of this scheme. Full details, including the simplified applications process, will be available shortly.”
ENDS…///
Notes to the Editor
The main features of the Phase Two scheme of ex gratia recognition payments are as follows:
- All survivor beneficiaries of the original Stardust Victims Compensation Tribunal will be solely eligible for this recognition payment.
- Each person will be eligible to receive a fixed recognition payment of €20,000.
- This payment will be disregarded for tax and state support assessments.
- The applications process will be simplified as far as possible to minimise the verification information required from applicants to process the payments.
- The applications process will be open for six months, and those eligible applicants will be paid as soon as possible.
- Full details of this initiative – including the simplified applications process - will be published as soon as possible by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration.
- A total of 823 people received compensation from the tribunal that was established in 1985; therefore, the potential maximum cost of Phase Two is €16.4million.
