There have been robust exchanges at the Stardust inquests as the former manager of the premises rejected suggestions that he was "telling lies".

Eamon Butterly, who is in the witness box for a fifth day, was again answering questions from Michael O'Higgins, the senior counsel who is representing families of the victims.

At one point in the proceedings Mr Butterly was asked if there was anything he would have done differently.

The now 78 year old replied that he would never have got involved in converting the premises into a nightclub.

He said: "I would have knocked it down and built a new one and…do something different with it."

"That’s the one thing you’d do differently?" Michael O’Higgins asked.

"I would, yeah," replied Mr Butterly.

Mr O’Higgins also asked about the insurance claims that were lodged in the days after the fire.

He put it to Mr Butterly that the company got its act together in "jig time" in that regard and asked if that showed where the priorities were.

Mr Butterly had earlier said that he had nothing to do "whatsoever" with making the applications.

Mr Butterly later said he did not know the timings at which such notices had to be served.

Questioned by his own solicitor, Dómhnaill O'Scanaill, he agreed that he wouldn’t be surprised to learn that it could be "as tight as ten days".

Earlier, Mr O’Higgins put it to Mr Butterly that he did not tell gardaí in his original statement that exits were being locked at the club.

"Why not?" he asked. Mr Butterly replied: "I answered all the questions that were asked of me."

At another point in the hearings today, Mr O'Higgins said he was suggesting that certain accounts Mr Butterly was giving "were not founded on truth".

Mr Butterly replied: "Are you saying I’m telling lies? I am not telling lies."

The former manager also stated again today that he was told on the night in question that the fire exits were unlocked.

He was asked if he was in a position to prove that the doors were open.

He said he was in a position to tell anybody who asked him that Tom Kennan told him at 11.30pm on the night in question that the doors were unlocked.