OMBUDSMAN PROBE OVER OMAGH FUNDS
Ombudsman probe over Omagh funds
By Graeme Neill
Tyrone Correspondent
THE Police Ombudsman is investigating the failure of the police to probe alleged financial mismanagement of several charity football fundraisers for the Omagh bomb victims.
The high-profile friendlies, against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United were organised by the now-defunct Omagh Town football club in 1999 to raise money for the families of those killed in the 1998 Real IRA atrocity.
In June an investigation by the UTV Insight programme revealed that while the three matches raised more than �200,000, only �30,000 was paid into the Omagh fund.
Michael Gallagher, left, whose son was one of the 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, killed in the bomb, told the programme that he asked police for an investigation three times. At the time police said that no one had said they had "suffered any loss as a result of criminal activity". However, it has now emerged that a detective inspector was appointed last month to examine any alleged financial misdealing.
"Any irregularities that are produced will be investigated," a spokesman said last night.
The programme also showed that the club spent �60,000 on seating and �51,000 on ground improvements for the charity games, despite the offer of a loan of bigger and better-equipped grounds.
The club claimed that despite 21,000 people expected at the matches, only 13,381 paid into the games.
Michael Gallagher, from the Omagh Self Help Group, said he made the complaint to the ombudsman because he could not understand why police had not investigated their concerns in 2000.
He added that he had "mixed feelings" about the new police investigation into the allegations.
"The initial complaints were made five years ago and Omagh Town as a football club is now extinct," he said.
The group will be marking the seventh anniversary of the Real IRA bombing with a service at the memorial garden in Omagh on Sunday.
By Graeme Neill
Tyrone Correspondent
THE Police Ombudsman is investigating the failure of the police to probe alleged financial mismanagement of several charity football fundraisers for the Omagh bomb victims.
The high-profile friendlies, against Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester United were organised by the now-defunct Omagh Town football club in 1999 to raise money for the families of those killed in the 1998 Real IRA atrocity.
In June an investigation by the UTV Insight programme revealed that while the three matches raised more than �200,000, only �30,000 was paid into the Omagh fund.
Michael Gallagher, left, whose son was one of the 29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, killed in the bomb, told the programme that he asked police for an investigation three times. At the time police said that no one had said they had "suffered any loss as a result of criminal activity". However, it has now emerged that a detective inspector was appointed last month to examine any alleged financial misdealing.
"Any irregularities that are produced will be investigated," a spokesman said last night.
The programme also showed that the club spent �60,000 on seating and �51,000 on ground improvements for the charity games, despite the offer of a loan of bigger and better-equipped grounds.
The club claimed that despite 21,000 people expected at the matches, only 13,381 paid into the games.
Michael Gallagher, from the Omagh Self Help Group, said he made the complaint to the ombudsman because he could not understand why police had not investigated their concerns in 2000.
He added that he had "mixed feelings" about the new police investigation into the allegations.
"The initial complaints were made five years ago and Omagh Town as a football club is now extinct," he said.
The group will be marking the seventh anniversary of the Real IRA bombing with a service at the memorial garden in Omagh on Sunday.
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/0747
Published Date: 09-Aug-05
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