WORK BEGINS ON COURT FOR INQUEST INTO OMAGH BOMB
Work begins on court for inquest into Omagh bomb
By Noel McAdam
CONSTRUCTION work was due to begin today on a special court to hear the inquest for the 29 victims of the Omagh bomb atrocity.
A makeshift site has been earmarked at the town's leisure centre, where many victims were taken after the Real IRA attack almost two years ago.
Preliminary hearings are expected before the full inquest which is due to get under way on September 6 and anticipated to last for about four weeks. The construction work comes a week after relatives of the people killed were told that special provision has been made to allow them to apply for legal aid to help fund their representation at the inquest.
The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, decided the circumstances surrounding the explosion were so exceptional he would offer public funding to ensure the relatives of the victims could secure legal representation.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among those killed in Omagh, welcomed the announcement but said all the families should be entitled to legal aid. Hundreds were injured in the bombing on a busy Saturday shopping afternoon on August 15,1998, just four months after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Two babies, five other children, 14 women and five men were among the victims of the worst single atrocity in the history of the Troubles. The leisure centre was used as an emergency incident centre in the immediate aftermath of the blast where families waited to hear news of their relatives .
Greater Belfast Coroner John Leckey is to officiate at the proceedings and a special area is being built for families and solicitors.
By Noel McAdam
CONSTRUCTION work was due to begin today on a special court to hear the inquest for the 29 victims of the Omagh bomb atrocity.
A makeshift site has been earmarked at the town's leisure centre, where many victims were taken after the Real IRA attack almost two years ago.
Preliminary hearings are expected before the full inquest which is due to get under way on September 6 and anticipated to last for about four weeks. The construction work comes a week after relatives of the people killed were told that special provision has been made to allow them to apply for legal aid to help fund their representation at the inquest.
The Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, decided the circumstances surrounding the explosion were so exceptional he would offer public funding to ensure the relatives of the victims could secure legal representation.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among those killed in Omagh, welcomed the announcement but said all the families should be entitled to legal aid. Hundreds were injured in the bombing on a busy Saturday shopping afternoon on August 15,1998, just four months after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement. Two babies, five other children, 14 women and five men were among the victims of the worst single atrocity in the history of the Troubles. The leisure centre was used as an emergency incident centre in the immediate aftermath of the blast where families waited to hear news of their relatives .
Greater Belfast Coroner John Leckey is to officiate at the proceedings and a special area is being built for families and solicitors.
Further Information
Publisher: BELFAST TELEGRAPH
Ref: BT/0743
Published Date: 31-Jul-00
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