Over 500 apply to scheme to compensate Stardust survivors

More than 500 survivors of the devastating 1981 Stardust nightclub fire have applied for a compensation scheme established to acknowledge "delays in providing truth and justice." The scheme, launched in February, offers a €20,000 payment to eligible applicants, with the deadline for submissions set for today.

According to the Department of Justice, 540 people have applied so far, and 169 applications have been validated and authorized for payment. The department anticipates this number will grow as more applications are processed. The scheme is open to all survivors who previously received compensation from the 1985 Stardust Victims Compensation Tribunal, which awarded payments to 823 individuals.

Despite the government's efforts, the compensation package has faced criticism from some survivors. Concerns have been raised regarding the flat rate payment, which some argue does not adequately reflect the varying degrees of harm suffered. Additionally, critics have stated the scheme was implemented without adequate consultation with survivors.

Legal action has also been initiated, with lawyers for survivor Jimmy Fitzpatrick, who sustained severe burn injuries in the fire, granted leave to seek a judicial review of the scheme. The court is scheduled to hear the matter again in November. The Stardust fire, which occurred on Valentine's Day in 1981, claimed the lives of 48 people. In August 2024, €24 million in compensation was agreed for the victims' families following fresh inquests that ruled all 48 deaths were unlawful.

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The payments were not intended to be compensation for injuries, rather for the delays in providing justice.