Two representatives of the Stardust Victims families ended their occupation at 1.53pm today, 24 hours after they first entered Government Buildings on Merrion Street demanding to see Taoiseach Enda Kenny.
Relatives of the Stardust fire victims refused to leave Government Buildings last night in protest at comments made by Mr Kenny in the Dáil.
"We are disappointed that the Taoiseach has failed once again to see the seriousness of the issues we have raised and are angered that he would not meet us over the past day whilst we were just a stone's throw away from his office," said Antoinette Keegan, who lost her two sisters in the fire.
“That he didn’t think it important to meet us and frustrated attempts to have the Stardust Tragedy discussed in the Dáil chamber this morning shows the true nature of these people - they don’t care about justice,” said Ms Keegan.
Mr Kenny was asked on Wednesday if the Government would establish a Commission of Investigation into the 1981 tragedy, while the Stardust families said he gave a pre-election pledge to do so.
Dublin North-East TDs Tommy Broughan and Terence Flanagan raised the issue with the Taoiseach, with Mr Broughan saying the Artane fire which killed 48 and injured 214 “is a legacy issue that we need to deal with”.
Mr Kenny said he was waiting for additional submissions from the Stardust families with new evidence.
“The last time I had contact with some of the survivors of the Stardust tragedy, they informed me that their legal advisors had new information to present,” Mr Kenny said.
“I advised them that their legal advisors should present that information, if it is new, and I understand that they are going to do so.”
Minister for Justice Alan Shatter recently said there is not enough new evidence to warrant a new inquiry into the fire. But Ms Keegan said the families will not be giving any more submissions until they see what material the Government has, which she claims contradicts their evidence.
“I told him there are no more submissions going in until we get the proof from them,” Ms Keegan said.
Ms. Keegan said the families will continue their fight for justice for their loved ones. “We have produced so much new evidence over the past decade that demands that the Taoiseach grant a new commission of inquiry into the tragedy,” she said.
“The Government still hasn’t addressed any of the issues that we have raised - both Alan Shatter and Enda Kenny are hiding from us but we are not going to give up until we get justice.”
Ms Keegan was accompanied by Eugene Kelly, whose brother Robert died in the fire.