Stardust families will meet with An Taoiseach on Saturday, the Government has announced. 

Yesterday, a jury announced a verdict of ‘unlawful killing’ for each of the 48 people who died when a fire broke out in the Stardust nightclub on Valentine’s Day in 1981.

In the aftermath, Simon Harris said the tragedy was “one of the darkest moments in our history” and the Government would “consider this verdict in full”.

A solicitor for the families, Darragh Mackin, said the State owed his clients an apology after their decades’ long fight for justice.

“In 1981 these young people - inhumanely identified by a number - were stripped of their integrity and their dignity,” he said.

“Stripped of their dignity by the very same State that had stripped them of their very basic human rights.

“What was the result? The result was the criminalisation of victims and patrons; the pain and suffering of these families was relentless.”

The coffins of four young people, who died in the fire in the Stardust disco, leave the Church of St Luke the Evangelist in Kilmore on Dublin's Northside. Photo: Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews.ie

In a statement to the media, a spokesperson described Mr Harris as “eager” to hear the families' stories.

“The Taoiseach has said he is conscious that these families have felt unheard for four decades, and his priority now is to hear directly from them,” the spokesperson said.

“The Taoiseach has also spoken to the two coalition party leaders and members of the opposition. The Taoiseach will seek to address the Dail on Tuesday on Stardust. His priority, however, remains engagement with the families first.”

Mr Harris is also expected to address the Dáil about the verdicts on Tuesday.

Main image: A woman after the Stardust verdicts were announced. Picture by: RollingNews.ie