OMAGH FUND SET TO TOP �2m
Omagh Fund set to top �2m
By Press Association and John Hicks
A STEADY flow of donations to the Omagh Memorial Fund is well on course to take the total past �2m by the end of the year.
To date donations estimated at �200,000 have been handed to administrators who were due to announce plans on how they intend to distribute the money today.
Already more than �lm has been pledged to help the victims of the Omagh bombing atrocity, it was revealed.
Fund manager Brian Oliphant said the launch would mark a new phase in the recovery of the victims.
He said: it's a very important building block.
Omagh has suffered grievously and it is imperative that support be available to the people of Omagh and beyond - the Spanish connection and Buncrana."
Already �46,000 has been paid to ease the immediate hardship felt by some of the 220 casualties of the blast and relatives of the 29 men. women and children killed.
The money has been given as gift payments to help cover he cost of funerals, travelling expenses to hospital and immediate loss of earnings.
Fund administrators plan to visit victims over coming months to determine their needs and draw up a longer-term spending plan.
They also envisage money being "channelled into providing psychological help for survivors.
"There are going to be quite a number of people who have suffered from post-traumatic stress that may not have manifested itself yet. There would be a need to plan for that." said Mr Oliphant.
The months ahead will be testing for all concerned but it was hoped the fund could ease practical difficulties, he said.
The trustees, who include the Duke of Abercorn and Fermanagh council chief executive Aideen McGinley. will pledge themselves to distribute the money as "quickly as possible".
The organisers have rejected claims that they have been slow in distributing funds to needy cases.
Major names in the pop and film world are backing a drive to boost the fund.
Big names inducting U2, Sinead O'Connor and Ash have pledged to appear on a compilation album.
And the fund is also set to benefit by IR�120,000 as a result of a function held in Dublin last night.
Those who attended the event in the RDS paid 1R�150 each.
It's believed plans tor a special memorial service to be attended by the Prime Minister and the Queen are being discussed by the Government.
Five of the injured, all females including a child, all in the Ulster Hospital, were today said to be comfortable.
Two in Altnagelvin Hospital are stable and two in the County Tyrone Hospital are comfortable.
One woman at Musgrave Park is described as "satisfactory".
Four patients - three women and a man - are still receiving treatment at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
None are critical
One person is still seriously ill, two are stable and one is ill but stable.
By Press Association and John Hicks
A STEADY flow of donations to the Omagh Memorial Fund is well on course to take the total past �2m by the end of the year.
To date donations estimated at �200,000 have been handed to administrators who were due to announce plans on how they intend to distribute the money today.
Already more than �lm has been pledged to help the victims of the Omagh bombing atrocity, it was revealed.
Fund manager Brian Oliphant said the launch would mark a new phase in the recovery of the victims.
He said: it's a very important building block.
Omagh has suffered grievously and it is imperative that support be available to the people of Omagh and beyond - the Spanish connection and Buncrana."
Already �46,000 has been paid to ease the immediate hardship felt by some of the 220 casualties of the blast and relatives of the 29 men. women and children killed.
The money has been given as gift payments to help cover he cost of funerals, travelling expenses to hospital and immediate loss of earnings.
Fund administrators plan to visit victims over coming months to determine their needs and draw up a longer-term spending plan.
They also envisage money being "channelled into providing psychological help for survivors.
"There are going to be quite a number of people who have suffered from post-traumatic stress that may not have manifested itself yet. There would be a need to plan for that." said Mr Oliphant.
The months ahead will be testing for all concerned but it was hoped the fund could ease practical difficulties, he said.
The trustees, who include the Duke of Abercorn and Fermanagh council chief executive Aideen McGinley. will pledge themselves to distribute the money as "quickly as possible".
The organisers have rejected claims that they have been slow in distributing funds to needy cases.
Major names in the pop and film world are backing a drive to boost the fund.
Big names inducting U2, Sinead O'Connor and Ash have pledged to appear on a compilation album.
And the fund is also set to benefit by IR�120,000 as a result of a function held in Dublin last night.
Those who attended the event in the RDS paid 1R�150 each.
It's believed plans tor a special memorial service to be attended by the Prime Minister and the Queen are being discussed by the Government.
Five of the injured, all females including a child, all in the Ulster Hospital, were today said to be comfortable.
Two in Altnagelvin Hospital are stable and two in the County Tyrone Hospital are comfortable.
One woman at Musgrave Park is described as "satisfactory".
Four patients - three women and a man - are still receiving treatment at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
None are critical
One person is still seriously ill, two are stable and one is ill but stable.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0442
Published Date: 29-Sep-98
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