FLAGS LOWERED OUT OF RESPECT
Flags lowered out of respect
Secretary of State Mo Mowlam last night announced that flags on Government buildings would be lowers as a mark of respect for the victims of the Omagh bombing.
And the Irish government also announced that all official flags will be flown at half-mast from today until Saturday evening.
Dr Mowlam issued a statement last night welcomed a call by Lord Wakeham of the Press Complaints Commission for the media to give the people of Omagh the space and privacy they need in which to grieve.
"In keeping with this, Dr Mowlam said the same principle would govern the question of official representation at the funerals of victims. The
first priority will be to respect the wishes of the families and to protect their right to grieve in private.
"If however, a family in Northern Ireland would like a representative of the Secretary of State to attend, Dr Mowlam has made arrangements
with this through the churches,"the statement read.
Dr Mowlam also announced the appointment of a senior civil servant, John McConnell, "to coordinate the actions of the Government
departments in Omagh and to make sure their response is as effective as possible in meeting the needs of the survivors and the families of the victims now and in the future."
President Mary McAleese, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and minister of state at the department of foreign affairs, Liz O'Donnell, will attend the Act of Prayerful Reflection in Omagh on Saturday afternoon.
Other members of government and both houses of the Irish parliament will attend local services. Mr Ahern has backed the call by the four main Church leaders in Ireland for all the people of the country to express their sympathy and solidarity with the people of Omagh and the bereaved and injured through a minute's silence on Saturday afternoon. Church leaders also called upon local clergy of all denominations to hold simple services to allow people to express their grief over the massacre.
Secretary of State Mo Mowlam last night announced that flags on Government buildings would be lowers as a mark of respect for the victims of the Omagh bombing.
And the Irish government also announced that all official flags will be flown at half-mast from today until Saturday evening.
Dr Mowlam issued a statement last night welcomed a call by Lord Wakeham of the Press Complaints Commission for the media to give the people of Omagh the space and privacy they need in which to grieve.
"In keeping with this, Dr Mowlam said the same principle would govern the question of official representation at the funerals of victims. The
first priority will be to respect the wishes of the families and to protect their right to grieve in private.
"If however, a family in Northern Ireland would like a representative of the Secretary of State to attend, Dr Mowlam has made arrangements
with this through the churches,"the statement read.
Dr Mowlam also announced the appointment of a senior civil servant, John McConnell, "to coordinate the actions of the Government
departments in Omagh and to make sure their response is as effective as possible in meeting the needs of the survivors and the families of the victims now and in the future."
President Mary McAleese, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and minister of state at the department of foreign affairs, Liz O'Donnell, will attend the Act of Prayerful Reflection in Omagh on Saturday afternoon.
Other members of government and both houses of the Irish parliament will attend local services. Mr Ahern has backed the call by the four main Church leaders in Ireland for all the people of the country to express their sympathy and solidarity with the people of Omagh and the bereaved and injured through a minute's silence on Saturday afternoon. Church leaders also called upon local clergy of all denominations to hold simple services to allow people to express their grief over the massacre.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0059
Published Date: 19-Aug-98
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