APOLOGY FOR POLICE HEROES
Apology for police heroes
THE Northern Ireland Office last night apologised to a group of heroic Omagh police officers 'stood up' by Secretary of State, Mo Mowlam.
The RUC team which worked around the clock helping at the scene of the atrocity reorganised their duties to meet the Northern Ireland supremo at Lisanelly Barracks last Monday.
But the men. and women who waited for four hours to meet the Secretary of State had to leave disappointed.
Omagh community policeman, Constable Derek Elliott revealed the sense of hurt felt by the officers in a diary of the week printed in an English newspaper. Last night an NIO spokesman apologised for the 'no show' but said that the Secretary of State had been delayed by an emergency meeting at Stormont with RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan and Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne.
"The Secretary of State arrived very late in Omagh and then went on to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen and was back in Omagh the next day.
"We are sorry that people had to stand around for four hours and we would apologise for the delay."
THE Northern Ireland Office last night apologised to a group of heroic Omagh police officers 'stood up' by Secretary of State, Mo Mowlam.
The RUC team which worked around the clock helping at the scene of the atrocity reorganised their duties to meet the Northern Ireland supremo at Lisanelly Barracks last Monday.
But the men. and women who waited for four hours to meet the Secretary of State had to leave disappointed.
Omagh community policeman, Constable Derek Elliott revealed the sense of hurt felt by the officers in a diary of the week printed in an English newspaper. Last night an NIO spokesman apologised for the 'no show' but said that the Secretary of State had been delayed by an emergency meeting at Stormont with RUC Chief Constable Ronnie Flanagan and Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne.
"The Secretary of State arrived very late in Omagh and then went on to the Erne Hospital in Enniskillen and was back in Omagh the next day.
"We are sorry that people had to stand around for four hours and we would apologise for the delay."
Further Information
Publisher: SUNDAY LIFE
Ref: SL/032
Published Date: 23-Aug-98
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