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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Kim oLeary

Stardust inquest jury selection bill to be debated in the Seanad

A jury selection bill for the Stardust inquest is set to be debated in the Seanad tomorrow.

It comes after the families of the 48 victims who died in the Stardust night club fire attended a press conference in Dublin earlier today to support the new bill.

The jury selection bill has been put forward by Sinn Féin senator Lynn Boylan to be debated in the Seanad and would mirror what happens when a jury is selected for a criminal jury.

Speaking to Dublin Live, survivor Antoinette Keegan who lost her sisters Mary, 19, and Martina, 16, in the Stardust fire said that they are hopeful the jury selection bill will be passed.

Earlier this month, the families were relieved to hear that the hearings into the Stardust fire will take place in the Rotunda Hospital.

Ms Keegan said: "A few of the families are going to Buswells at 4pm on Wednesday where we are meeting Lynn. It's looking like the jury selection bill is going to be passed in the Seanad.

"The Taoiseach hasn't come back to us either, we met him at the unveiling of the plaque at Richmond and we told him about all the problems and obstacles facing us. There's €8 million in the budget set aside for the Stardust and €2 million has been spent on a venue at the RDS.

"The government has to have a jury selection process in place or take budget money to pay the jury if they are not being paid or if they're not getting money from their employers."

Ms Keegan added: "For the jury selection bill, if it's passed it will go to the Dail and we've been told that no-one is going to oppose it. The next step has to be paying the jury because no-one is going to sit on a jury for four to six months."

The jury selection bill for the Stardust inquest is due to be debated on Wednesday evening in the Seanad.

The Department of Justice has been contacted for comment.

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