The Stardust inquest’s verdict of unlawful killing last week was anticipated by the Government, hence an apology had been considered for quite some time. While Simon Harris, the freshly appointed Taoiseach, was at his initial European Council summit in Brussels the previous week, his team monitored the live broadcast from the inquest as the judgments were delivered. This quickly expedited the drafting and issuing of a response. Upon concluding the summit on Thursday afternoon, Harris contacted Antoinette Keegan, a chief advocate for the families, expressing his intention to meet her and the other affected families.
Following the end of the inquest that same evening, the families made their way to the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square, where they demanded an apology from the State. Preparations for this were already in process; Harris and his top officials wanted to act timely and not wait for additional pleas from the relatives or motions in the Dáil. The intention was to handle it proactively.
Around 40 family members responded to the invitation for a meeting with the Taoiseach at Government Buildings on Saturday; surprisingly 71 showed up. The planners had imagined Harris addressing the crowd and then mingling to the tables for private chats with smaller groups; it however, transformed into a large group discussion, according to an attendee, filled with moments of both laughter and tears.
There was anger from the relatives as well; some requested for state action against the individuals they hold accountable. Harris reassured both privately and publicly about the autonomous nature of the criminal justice process. Compensation was not a topic discussed by anyone at any point.
However, there was a caveat for Harris: he would be evaluated on the apology and will only get one shot at it. The meeting with the relatives heavily influenced his speech, which Harris and his team revised over the weekend. Further discussions on the matter were held with the leaders of the Fianna Fáil and the Green parties. Talks were also held with the leader of Sinn Féin, Mary Lou McDonald, coming to an agreement that the apology would overshadow any other Dáil business for the week.
The office of the Attorney General was involved in the drafting process, however, for legal reasons, no modifications were made according to insiders privy to the process. The issue of family compensation will be discussed at a later stage and will rely on the moral duty of the state rather than any legal obligation.
By Monday evening, Harris was satisfied with the draft he had prepared. Yet, he felt the need to further connect with the victims and their relatives. As a result, he informed Keegan he planned to visit the Stardust memorial in Artane, and she agreed to join him. He carried the apology with him and offered Keegan an opportunity to read it. Despite not having her spectacles, she was pleased with it after he read it out to her. In gratitude, she gifted him a pin which he proudly wore in the Dáil chamber.
Relatives started assembling at Leinster House late in the morning for a highly emotional day. Harris, during his first crucial Dáil assignment, displayed both confidence and empathy, notably remaining till the completion of the nearly four-hour debate, unlike most TDs.
In reality, the choices made by Harris were identical to those his predecessor would’ve made. However, the examination of his actions was more about his competence as a Taoiseach, rather than his decision making. He demonstrated his ability to empathise, a crucial trait in contemporary politics.
Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, arguably paved the way for this kind of demonstrated empathy. Although some political pundits found his approach overly dramatic and artificial, Blair managed to establish a fundamental connection with many ordinary voters. This quality is now a prerequisite for every leader. Besides being a milestone day for the Dáil and a massive one for the Stardust relatives, it was a sort of examination for Harris, which he successfully passed.