A tragedy on the scale of the Stardust disaster could happen again unless national fire services are improved.
In the early hours of Valentine's Day 1981, a total of 48 young people died, and hundreds were injured, when a fire broke out at the Stardust nightclub in the Dublin suburb of Artane. On the 25th anniversary of the disaster, some people believe a Stardust-type tragedy could happen again unless fire services improve.
A group representing stage technicians says its members regularly come across breaches of fire safety in venues throughout the country. Nick Anton of the Association of Irish Stage Technicians (AIST) in Dublin has worked in venues were emergency exits have been chained locked. He has seen flammable materials stored at fire exits. There is a lack of regular fire drills in venues.
Nine sets out of every 10 that tour the country aren't fireproofed.
Chairperson of the Chief Fire Officers Association Jim Dunphy notes there are huge weaknesses in the way fire officers carry out inspections of public venues. Fire inspections are irregular and inconsistent across the country because the fire services are under resourced.
The tribunal of inquiry into the Stardust recommended that responsibility for fire services be moved from the individual local authorities to a centrally controlled government authority.
This was echoed in a 2002 report by Farrell Grant Sparks Consultants reviewing fire safety and fire services in Ireland. But the Government never implemented these recommendations.
Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government Dick Roche explains why he did not appoint a national fire authority. It would have been too time-consuming to prepare for the legislation and
It would also have consumed resources, which in my view, would be better invested in the service.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 13 February 2006. The reporter is Samantha Libreri.
