The expert was last week granted access to postmortem images of the fire victims for analysis.

Gardai made arrangements for the expert, who was nominated by Greg O'Neill, solicitor for the Stardust relatives committee, to examine the photographs at garda headquarters as part of a review by the families into the circumstances of the fire.

The Stardust relatives committee has sought a new inquiry into the tragedy to replace the controversial 1982 Stardust tribunal, the findings of which have been rejected by relatives and which indicated that arson may have been a contributing factor.

New evidence concerning the source and cause of the fire was recently revealed, indicating that key information was not available to the tribunal, specifically the flammable content of a storeroom at the Artane dance hall.

Over 800 revellers were in the Stardust nightclub when the fire engulfed the venue on Valentine's night in 1981.

Twenty-five young men and 23 young women died in the blaze. A significant number of survivors were severely disfigured, badly burnt or disabled. The average age of those who died was 19 years.

A memorial in honour of the Stardust dead is to be erected at the site. The former club is now run as a public house.