FRUSRATION OVER FAILURE TO COMMIT TO OMAGH INQUIRY
Frustration over failure to commit to Omagh inquiry
By Barry McCaffrey
THE Omagh families last night expressed "deep frustration" after Secretary of State Owen Paterson failed to commit to backing a public inquiry into the killings of their loved ones.
The families were speaking yesterday after a two-hour meeting with the secretary of state - the first time he has met them.
Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, were killed in the Real IRA Omagh bomb atrocity in August 1998.
The families met Mr Paterson to discuss calls for an independent inquiry into the attack.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden died in the bomb, said they sought a "new beginning, with a new government".
But after the meeting he said they were still no clearer on how they could work through the inquiry process.
"Owen Paterson listened to what we had to say and agreed to study a dossier we gave him highlighting the main concerns surrounding the attack on Omagh and the subsequent failures in the police investigation," Mr Gallagher said.
"But he refused to give us a commitment that he will establish a cross-border public inquiry into what went on.
"He said the government wanted to wait until after the conclusion of the public inquiries into Robert Hamill and Rosemary Nelson, before it decided on its next move."
However, Mr Gallagher said he was not hopeful that the government would allow an inquiry.
"He told us that the Billy Wright inquiry cost �30 million but the Wright family were not happy with the results. But we told him it was unfair not to judge each case on its merits," he said.
"The Omagh case is unique because of the number of people killed and because of the serious failures in how intelligence was handled in the case."
Mr Gallagher said the families had rejected 'out of hand' an offer to have the Historic Enquiries Team investigate the bombing.
The Omagh families say they will now be left waiting until 2013 for the government decision.
Sinn Fein's Pat Doherty, the SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell, the UUP's David McNarry and the Alliance Party's Chris Lyttle also attended the meeting in support of the Omagh families.
Last night a spokesman for the Northern Ireland Office said Mr Paterson had "listened very carefully to what the group has to say".
"On the question of a cross-border inquiry the secretary of state said that it was not simply the cost of any inquiry that was an issue but also how effective it would likely to be," he said.
"The secretary of state said that he would want to discuss Omagh with the Irish government and other interested parties."
By Barry McCaffrey
THE Omagh families last night expressed "deep frustration" after Secretary of State Owen Paterson failed to commit to backing a public inquiry into the killings of their loved ones.
The families were speaking yesterday after a two-hour meeting with the secretary of state - the first time he has met them.
Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, were killed in the Real IRA Omagh bomb atrocity in August 1998.
The families met Mr Paterson to discuss calls for an independent inquiry into the attack.
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden died in the bomb, said they sought a "new beginning, with a new government".
But after the meeting he said they were still no clearer on how they could work through the inquiry process.
"Owen Paterson listened to what we had to say and agreed to study a dossier we gave him highlighting the main concerns surrounding the attack on Omagh and the subsequent failures in the police investigation," Mr Gallagher said.
"But he refused to give us a commitment that he will establish a cross-border public inquiry into what went on.
"He said the government wanted to wait until after the conclusion of the public inquiries into Robert Hamill and Rosemary Nelson, before it decided on its next move."
However, Mr Gallagher said he was not hopeful that the government would allow an inquiry.
"He told us that the Billy Wright inquiry cost �30 million but the Wright family were not happy with the results. But we told him it was unfair not to judge each case on its merits," he said.
"The Omagh case is unique because of the number of people killed and because of the serious failures in how intelligence was handled in the case."
Mr Gallagher said the families had rejected 'out of hand' an offer to have the Historic Enquiries Team investigate the bombing.
The Omagh families say they will now be left waiting until 2013 for the government decision.
Sinn Fein's Pat Doherty, the SDLP's Alasdair McDonnell, the UUP's David McNarry and the Alliance Party's Chris Lyttle also attended the meeting in support of the Omagh families.
Last night a spokesman for the Northern Ireland Office said Mr Paterson had "listened very carefully to what the group has to say".
"On the question of a cross-border inquiry the secretary of state said that it was not simply the cost of any inquiry that was an issue but also how effective it would likely to be," he said.
"The secretary of state said that he would want to discuss Omagh with the Irish government and other interested parties."
Further Information
Publisher: THE IRISH NEWS
Ref: IN/1036
Published Date: 23-Sep-10
Related Images
