Dáil Report: Any new information relating to the Stardust tragedy would be examined by the Government, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern told the House.
"The Garda will revisit the investigation that was conducted if the information is new and warrants a re-examination of these matters." Mr Ahern said that information passed on had been examined by the Department of Justice, and particularly by the Garda Commissioner and the forensic science laboratory, which employed people who were experts in that regard.
"They found that the information, which was previously available, was fully addressed by the tribunal at the time. If genuinely new information that stands up to scrutiny becomes available, it will be considered."
Mr Ahern said that the issue of a new tribunal of inquiry or examination would not arise unless the information that came to light was new and was not looked at by the tribunal of inquiry.
"We will see what is made available. The Minister has met and worked with the committee that represents the families when issues have arisen in recent years. The Garda Commissioner and the forensic science laboratory have also worked with the group and will do so again if new issues arise." Mr Ahern added that he did not have a problem with meeting the families, saying his programme manager had met with their representatives on foot of one particular request.
"I have met individual family members over the years at various events. It is clear from the submissions which were made to various inquiries which took place at the time that this is like many other cases: it has not been resolved because clear conclusions have not been reached.
"It is reminiscent of many events in Northern Ireland, for example, or the Dublin and Monaghan bombings. We all understand that the torment of the victims' families continues if closure is not achieved."
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny said the 25th anniversary of the tragedy was marked in the past two nights by RTÉ in compelling programmes which made for heartbreaking viewing.
"All parents who watched them had their hearts in their mouths, and as they watched they knew something the young men and women who were getting ready for a night out at the Stardust did not know, that is, that they would never come home."
Labour leader Pat Rabbitte said it should be noted that the Government had demanded the Widgery tribunal be reopened after 25 years. "That may not be a particularly good example, but that is our position.
"This is a working-class community whose members feel that if it was located in some other part of Dublin, they would not be left floundering for answers.
"They feel there are legitimate questions that have not been answered and that it should not be beyond the competence of this House to put in place a methodology of investigation that at least seeks to answer some of the outstanding legitimate questions."
Sinn Féin Dáil leader Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin said the conclusion reached by the tribunal, that the cause of the fire was probably arson, was deeply flawed and had no basis in evidence.
"When he talks about new evidence, does the Taoiseach note that the basis for a new investigation has existed, not just arising from the current series of television programmes, but for some five years now as a result of details concerning the Garda investigation that were leaked to the authors of the book on the tragedy five years ago?"
All speakers expressed sympathy with the family, relatives and neighbours of the Keegan family in Firhouse, Dublin, following Monday's tragedy.
