OMAGH FAMILIES SLAM AHERN FOR LACK OF SUPPORT
Omagh families slam Ahern for 'lack of support'
By Valerie Robinson
Southern correspondent
THE Irish government was criticised yesterday for its unwillingness to aid the civil action being taken by the relatives of the Omagh bomb victims.
Michael Gallagher of the Omagh Support and Self Help group accused Taoiseach Bertie Ahern of refusing to meet the relatives to discuss the case. He also claimed that the government was turning its back on the families by refusing to supply them with complimentary transcripts of the ongoing trial of alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt at the Central Criminal Court.
The relatives' group is taking a civil action against individuals they allege were key players in the 1998 blast which killed 29 people and two unborn babies, the Real IRA admitted responsibility for the attack.
All five people at the centre of the case are currently behind bars in the Republic.
The relatives believe that the McKevitt transcripts could prove crucial to their court action but acquiring them through normal legal channels could cost the group up to �40,000.
"It seems extraordinary that when the families are trying to ensure that those responsible (for the bombing) are held to account, the very state which the attack was mounted from is doing very little to assist the innocent victims' families to bring the terrorists to court," Mr Gallagher said.
"This is all the more disturbing given that the government has not charged one single individual with murder at Omagh.
"We are at a loss to understand why they are not supporting the civil action by families by giving our lawyers the transcript of the trial of Mr McKevitt."
Mr Gallagher called on the government to reveal the "true cost" of supplying defence teams to suspects in the courts system "at home and abroad".
He added that members of his group were becoming increasingly frustrated by the Taoiseach's refusal to meet them to discuss the Omagh investigation and the civil action.
Labour's justice spokesman Joe Costello backed the families' criticism of the government, describing its inaction as "extremely disappointed" by all those affected by the atrocity.
"The group has suffered setback after setback in its campaign for justice and this decision by Irish government is most unhelpful," he said.
"This is an unacceptable way of treating the memory of those who died in one of the biggest tragedies of the last 30 years."
The deputy called on Mr Ahern and justice minister Michael McDowell to meet the families and to "provide them every support available in their quest for justice".
A government spokesman last night said that the Taoiseach and Mr McDowell had "no function" in relation to trial transcripts, saying they were the property of the courts.
"They may be given to the prosecution or defence teams with the permission of the court judge," he said.
"When the trials is complete it may be feasible to obtain trial transcripts on application to the president of the court," he added.
By Valerie Robinson
Southern correspondent
THE Irish government was criticised yesterday for its unwillingness to aid the civil action being taken by the relatives of the Omagh bomb victims.
Michael Gallagher of the Omagh Support and Self Help group accused Taoiseach Bertie Ahern of refusing to meet the relatives to discuss the case. He also claimed that the government was turning its back on the families by refusing to supply them with complimentary transcripts of the ongoing trial of alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt at the Central Criminal Court.
The relatives' group is taking a civil action against individuals they allege were key players in the 1998 blast which killed 29 people and two unborn babies, the Real IRA admitted responsibility for the attack.
All five people at the centre of the case are currently behind bars in the Republic.
The relatives believe that the McKevitt transcripts could prove crucial to their court action but acquiring them through normal legal channels could cost the group up to �40,000.
"It seems extraordinary that when the families are trying to ensure that those responsible (for the bombing) are held to account, the very state which the attack was mounted from is doing very little to assist the innocent victims' families to bring the terrorists to court," Mr Gallagher said.
"This is all the more disturbing given that the government has not charged one single individual with murder at Omagh.
"We are at a loss to understand why they are not supporting the civil action by families by giving our lawyers the transcript of the trial of Mr McKevitt."
Mr Gallagher called on the government to reveal the "true cost" of supplying defence teams to suspects in the courts system "at home and abroad".
He added that members of his group were becoming increasingly frustrated by the Taoiseach's refusal to meet them to discuss the Omagh investigation and the civil action.
Labour's justice spokesman Joe Costello backed the families' criticism of the government, describing its inaction as "extremely disappointed" by all those affected by the atrocity.
"The group has suffered setback after setback in its campaign for justice and this decision by Irish government is most unhelpful," he said.
"This is an unacceptable way of treating the memory of those who died in one of the biggest tragedies of the last 30 years."
The deputy called on Mr Ahern and justice minister Michael McDowell to meet the families and to "provide them every support available in their quest for justice".
A government spokesman last night said that the Taoiseach and Mr McDowell had "no function" in relation to trial transcripts, saying they were the property of the courts.
"They may be given to the prosecution or defence teams with the permission of the court judge," he said.
"When the trials is complete it may be feasible to obtain trial transcripts on application to the president of the court," he added.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0596
Published Date: 10-Jul-03
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