Families of the victims of the Stardust fire are calling on the Department of Justice to grant them legal aid for inquests into the deaths of their relatives.
A number of them are protesting outside Leinster House today.
In February 1981 48 people died and more than 200 were injured when a fire ripped through the Stardust nightclub in Artane in Dublin.
The matter of legal aid was raised in the Seanad by Sinn Féin Senator Lynn Boylan who told the Upper House "they have waited 40 years for justice and now they're being asked for PPS numbers, for bank statements, for pay slips, they're being asked what car they drive".
Senator Boylan said the legal aid route was not suitable and families should not be means tested as it was causing "huge hurt" and risks sewing division between families.
In response, Minister of State for Public Health Frank Feighan told the Seanad that some families exceed the income limits enforced by the legal aid board.
He added however that "the Department of Justice is actively investigating the position and engaging with the Attorney General's office to explore possible mechanisms to provide for legal aid for the very small number of families who do not meet the financial eligibility requirements".
Minister Feighan said that families should have a response from the Department shortly and he expects the inquests will begin a few weeks after that.
40 years on, Stardust disaster is still seared into hearts of a generation
"Throwing my kids off to school this morning, they asked where are you going Mam", I told them "I'm going to protest outside Leinster House because I still can't get justice for my Mammy", said Samantha Mangan, whose mother, Helena, died in the fire when Samantha was just four-years-old.
Speaking outside Leinster House, Ms Mangan explained that she believes families "shouldn't have had to apply for free legal aid.
"Those forms that they sent out are general forms. There should have been a different one [for families], that wouldn't have taken them that long to set up, for us to fill in. An inquest is different to what those forms are intended for".
Antoinette Keegan, who survived the Stardust fire disaster but whose two sisters Mary and Martina died in the blaze, insists that there will not be an inquest into the deaths of the 48 victims until the legal aid matter is resolved.
