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File photo dated 14/2/1981 of the scene of a fire at the Stardust nightclub where 48 people died. PA/PA Wire/Press Association Images
State Papers
RTÉ accused of "undermining" Stardust Tribunal in 1981
The State papers, released under the 30-year rule, also show that the owners of the Stardust asked the Government to pay their legal fees for appearing at a tribunal of inquiry into the tragedy.
THE NEWLY-RELEASED 1981 State papers show that a senior advisor to the then-Taoiseach Charles Haughey accused RTÉ of undermining the Stardust Tribunal.
The advisor said they did this by airing an in-depth report into the dancehall tragedy, the State papers reveal.
The report was to be aired on the Today Tonight programme two days after the disaster, which took place on Valentine’s night in Artane.
The papers also show that the family who owned the Stardust, the Butterlys, asked the government to pay for their costs of appearing at a tribunal of inquiry into the tragedy.
The government said it would not pay the fees, as it would be “inappropriate”.
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