THE STARDUST TRAGEDY and the push for a new inquiry featured in today’s Leader’s Questions.
Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin opens by asking the Taoiseach about the ongoing Bus Éireann dispute.
He wants Kenny to confirm that the government supports some form of State involvement in public transport
He also wants Minister Shane Ross to convene talks between all parties to the dispute.
Enda Kenny says that it’s a “commercial fact that passenger growth does not translate to the Expressway arm” of Bus Éireann.
He says the “overarching objective” should be about getting more people using public transport.
Taoiseach Enda Kenny says that the dispute will not be resolved “through media comment”.
Michéal Martin wants more. He wants a commitment from the Taoiseach that they support transport by the public sector.
Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams is asking the Taoiseach about the Stardust tragedy.
Families are the victims are in the chamber today.
He says his party supports calls for a new inquiry. Tommy Broughan TD is leading the political campaign for a new inquiry.
“Will you support the families in their quest for justice,” Adams asks the Taoiseach.
Enda Kenny accepts that families of the 48 people who died have never received ‘full and frank’ answers to what happened in the 1981 Artane tragedy.
“The do deserve to have every attempt made to provide them with answers,” the Taoiseach says.
Enda Kenny notes that he has also discussed with Adams about families in Northern Ireland who are seeking answers.
“This is not about Northern Ireland, this is about north Dublin,” Adams replies.
Enda Kenny says he is “quite willing” to have a commission to investigate Stardust but that the “new evidence” families say they have needs to be examined first.
Labour leader Brendan Howlin is also raising the issue of Bus Éireann.
He notes that Transport Minister Shane Ross is not in Dáil unlike a couple of other ministers.
“The Transport Minister is a spectator,” Howlin says.
“Will you direct the Minister to sit down with Bus Éireann, the National Transport Authority and unions?,” Howlin asks
“You and I well know that the way these engagements are sorted out about is through using the mechanisms of the State, “Kenny responds.
The Green Party’s Catherine Martin TD is bringing up the ongoing “shoddy workmanship” that causes house defects for homebuyers.
She says that the government hasn’t learnt from Priory Hall.
The Taoiseach says that “corners were cut” when developers assumed they “were going to be millionaire without doing any work.”
“I cannot say to you that there aren’t more Longboat Quays or Priory Halls,” he says.
He says that a supervisory authority is needed.
The debate centres around the case of Beacon South Quarter in Sandyford where residents have been informed that they may be faced with a huge bill in order to bring their building up to regulation.
That concludes today’s Leaders’ Questions, it returns tomorrow at 12pm.
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