BT/0516

Interest is waning in Omagh Fund - claim
By Staff Reporters

THE Omagh Fund is in danger of drying up, its manager warned today.
Brian Oliphant said money was no longer flooding into the charity, as media interest in Omagh waned.
Meanwhile, the father of one of the victims lashed out at the Government for "leaving us to become just another forgotten tragedy' .
Mr Oliphant said fundraisers were afraid of hitting a ceiling, as other tragedies began to overshadow the August 15 bomb.
Already, the horrific floods in Central America had distracted attention away from the Tyrone town, he said.
And he feared the community would be left to shoulder the burden alone.
"The money is still coming in, but not nearly as much as it was," he said.
"Our fear is that it will be quickly - and inevitably - replaced in people's minds by other horrors around the world.
"But we could never have enough. £5m was mentioned as a target but if we received £20m tomorrow, we would have no problem spending it."
Since the tragedy, the Fund has received around £800,000 in donations from the public.
Thousands more has been pledged over the coming months.
A host of international stars has rallied to the cause, giving fundraising projects an extra boost.
A compilation album - featuring Sinead O'Connor, U2, Van Morrison, Ash, Boyzone and The Corrs - is already in its final stages.
And international tennis aces Boris Becker and Greg Rusedski have promised a three-set spectacular in aid of the victims.
Ballymena-born actor Liam Neeson donated the proceeds of a recent libel action, while French soccer giant David Ginola joined a charity fixture at Derry's Brandywell.
Brian Kennedy, Mary Black and the Sands family were among those who headlined a gala fundraiser at the Waterfront Hall.
Roughly £400,000 of the Fund has so far been spread out among 197 individuals.
The size of payments is confidential, but it is understood each of the bereaved families was given emergency handouts of £4,000.
They were then informed no more money would be distributed until 'home visitors' had assessed each case individually.
The most seriously injured were also compensated between £2,000 and £3,000.
The Fund is still undecided as to whether to compensate those claiming post-traumatic stress disorder.
The 'gift' payments are generally intended to help with funeral expenses, travelling expenses and loss of income.
Omagh businessman Michael Gallagher was one of those most directly affected when his 21-year-old son Aidan was killed in the blast.
"Nothing can make up for the loss of my lad," he said.
"But the money has been a cushion - a buffer between us and the outside world.
"It has taken some of the worry away about bills and things like that.
"To be honest, it has been the difference between us cracking up and holding on to our sanity - just."
The 49-year-old car mechanic told how his family were "humbled" by the generosity of ordinary people.
And the windfall had allowed him, his wife and their two daughters to "get away from it all" for a few days.
The remainder of the handout had been put aside for a headstone for Aidan, he added.
But Mr Gallagher hit out at the response from the authorities - which he slammed as "poor".
"It's as if they are leaving us to become just another forgotten tragedy.
'We have not yet got a penny or a helping hand from any of the statutory agencies.
"And according to lawyers, those who were injured are likely to be compensated by the state more than those who lost loved ones."
Many of the bereaved had not been able to return to work and were surviving on paltry benefits, he said.
"There's one poor man who lost his wife and he's on the sick at £53 a week. He can't go back to work - he just doesn't have the heart.
"But he's being treated by the state as just another statistic. For God's sake - it's not his fault he can't go back to work.
"After the bomb, we thought the DHSS would come to us and say, what can we do for you?
"We should not have to go looking for help - it's humiliating and insensitive considering what we've already been through."
Mr Gallagher himself could not summon the will to go back to work - he and Aidan had run their own car mechanic business.
"To be honest. I think I'll have to look for a new career, once things settle down.
"Myself and the lad worked side by side every day.
"I can't face going back to using the same tools and seeing the same customers without him.
"It's not a very nice prospect to have to go out job-hunting at my age - but what else can I do?"