The former manager of the Stardust nightclub Eamon Butterly has again been giving evidence at the inquests into the deaths of 48 people who died in the 1981 St Valentine's Day fire, denying suggestions that the "policy" of locking fire exits doors was introduced by him.

Michael O'Higgins SC, who is representing the families of the dead, said part of the kernel of the problem was that the Stardust nightclub did not have enough door staff and that is why the doors were locked.

"No," replied Mr Butterly.

Mr O'Higgins also put it to him that "the policy of locking doors was in fact introduced by you?"

"No," Mr Butterly said.

Mr O'Higgins also asked the witness about the planning permission for the conversion of the building into the Stardust complex and the conditions attached to it.

He said that "before a sod of soil" was turned, the chief fire officer should have been consulted. "That wasn’t done," Mr O'Higgins told the court.

At one point, Mr Butterly said: "I wasn't involved in any of that," adding that his father Patrick "was the boss".

He also said during the proceedings that "we didn't do anything that didn't get the go ahead from Dublin Corporation".

Mr O'Higgins put it to the court that the Butterlys did not have a qualified architect to supervise the building of the Stardust complex and that he was not employed in a way an architect would be to oversee the project.

Eamon Butterly said he did not know his actual qualifications, but said he, a Mr Gardner, did his job and that he said Mr Gardner was dealing with Dublin Corporation and they accepted him.

During this morning's questions, the use of carpet tiles on the walls of the club was again raised.

Mr Butterly said the tiles were not put up until they got permission from Dublin Corporation and said that if the corporation had said the tiles would have to be taken down, "you'd take them down".

He also agreed that the placing of the tiles on the walls "may have had very serious consequences".

Mr Butterly, now aged 78, was 36 years old at the time of the blaze.

He began his evidence last Thursday and is expected to be in the witness box for several more days.

These fresh inquests, which began last April, were established after the Attorney General said the original inquest had been insufficient.

It followed a lengthy campaign by relatives.

'One of the safest places around'

Michael O'Higgins also pointed to other high profile fires in public premises that had happened around the time and asked Eamon Butterly if it was something that was on his mind.

Mr Butterly later replied "we thought we had one of the safest places around".

Asked about fire safety he later told the inquests that "safety was part of the plan", before adding, "I didn’t know anything about safety at the time."

He was also asked about the fire safety standards in place at the time, the ‘Regulation for Places of Public Resort'. Michael O’Higgins put it to Mr Butterly that a copy of those safety standards were bought for him but that he had never read them. Mr Butterly said today he did not remember having them.

The court heard how part of the regulations were that employees were to be given specific tasks in the event of a fire breaking out. "That’s common sense," Michael O’Higgins said, adding that "it was not done here". "‘No," Mr Butterly replied.

"Was there some resistance to making the place safe?" he was asked. "‘No," he replied.

Mr O'Higgins also said he was putting it to him that the policy of locking doors and draping chains had been in place for years and not for just three weeks before the fatal fire.

"That’s what you’re saying, OK," said Mr Butterly.

The inquests continue.