OMAGH RELATIVES IN A NEW SNUB ROW
OMAGH FUNDING SNUB
EXCLUSIVE
By ALAN MURRAY
RELATIVES of the victims of the most devastating single terrorist attack of the Troubles have been snubbed, in a bid for Government funding.
The Omagh Self-Help and Victims Group has been told that it hasn't been established long enough, to qualify for a grant, to run an office to coordinate its campaign for justice.
The Community Relations Council - a Government quango - delivered the devastating news, in a letter, two weeks ago - dashing hopes that a proper office could be established in Omagh, with full-time and part-time staff.
Billy Jameson, whose wife and son were injured in the 1998 bombing, says he was gutted when he received the bad news from the CRC.
"I undertook to do the paperwork on the application, and I thought we had a good chance.
"At the moment, we have no proper office, we have no toilet facilities.
"If we hold an evening meeting, we can't even boil a kettle, to make a cup of tea.
"When I met the CRC official on Wednesday, he told me our bid failed, because we haven't been established long enough. It's flabbergasting.
"How long have you to exist after a major atrocity to be considered as a credible group?
"We received charitable status in 1999, but nearly four years later we're told we haven't been in existence long enough.
"We can't understand why we've been treated like this."
The Omagh victims' group has raised just over �lm, to fund a civil action against five men it claims planned and carried out the 1998 bombing, by the Real IRA, which claimed the lives of 29 civilians and unborn twins.
They need to raise a further half a million pounds, to ensure all expected legal costs will be met, and continue to raise funds through voluntary donations.
The Omagh Self-Help and Victims Group was seeking �104,000 over two years, to rent a proper office in the town, and employ a project manager and a secretary
The letter from the CRC suggests that the group should approach its Victim/Survivor Groups Development Grants Scheme, which can award a maximum grant of just �10,000.
Michael Gallagher, whose son, Aidan, was murdered in the horrific Real IRA blast, is furious at the CRC decision, and believes the Omagh group
has been deliberately ignored, because it has criticised the Government and the police for their handling of the Omagh bomb investigation, and the treatment of its victims.
"I believe we have been penalised for asking questions people in high places don't want asked.
"This attack was the biggest single loss of life visited upon any town or village in Northern Ireland by terrorism, yet five years later we're still begging the Government for assistance.
"I've been stunned by the Community Relations Council's decision to reject our application. We are a cross community victims group, representing both sections of the community - not just one.
"How could a Government-funded agency not recognise our needs, and the work we are doing on both sides of the community in Omagh", he said.
"We would have benefited from the awarding system if we'd split up into a Protestant group and a Catholic group, and gone to the CRC.
"That seems to be the lesson in this. Being a cross-community group appears to have disadvantaged us with the CRC."
Mr Gallagher says he is now going to ask politicians to step into the issue, and monitor funding for victims groups.
"I am calling on the House of Commons Select Committee to launch an enquiry into how Peace and Reconciliation money is spent, and I'm going to ask how the $50m from Washington is going to be allocated.
"The place seems to be awash with money for victims groups, but for the families of the worst atrocity ever perpetrated in Northern Ireland, not a penny of public money is available.
"How can this be right? How can Ministers justify this?"
EXCLUSIVE
By ALAN MURRAY
RELATIVES of the victims of the most devastating single terrorist attack of the Troubles have been snubbed, in a bid for Government funding.
The Omagh Self-Help and Victims Group has been told that it hasn't been established long enough, to qualify for a grant, to run an office to coordinate its campaign for justice.
The Community Relations Council - a Government quango - delivered the devastating news, in a letter, two weeks ago - dashing hopes that a proper office could be established in Omagh, with full-time and part-time staff.
Billy Jameson, whose wife and son were injured in the 1998 bombing, says he was gutted when he received the bad news from the CRC.
"I undertook to do the paperwork on the application, and I thought we had a good chance.
"At the moment, we have no proper office, we have no toilet facilities.
"If we hold an evening meeting, we can't even boil a kettle, to make a cup of tea.
"When I met the CRC official on Wednesday, he told me our bid failed, because we haven't been established long enough. It's flabbergasting.
"How long have you to exist after a major atrocity to be considered as a credible group?
"We received charitable status in 1999, but nearly four years later we're told we haven't been in existence long enough.
"We can't understand why we've been treated like this."
The Omagh victims' group has raised just over �lm, to fund a civil action against five men it claims planned and carried out the 1998 bombing, by the Real IRA, which claimed the lives of 29 civilians and unborn twins.
They need to raise a further half a million pounds, to ensure all expected legal costs will be met, and continue to raise funds through voluntary donations.
The Omagh Self-Help and Victims Group was seeking �104,000 over two years, to rent a proper office in the town, and employ a project manager and a secretary
The letter from the CRC suggests that the group should approach its Victim/Survivor Groups Development Grants Scheme, which can award a maximum grant of just �10,000.
Michael Gallagher, whose son, Aidan, was murdered in the horrific Real IRA blast, is furious at the CRC decision, and believes the Omagh group
has been deliberately ignored, because it has criticised the Government and the police for their handling of the Omagh bomb investigation, and the treatment of its victims.
"I believe we have been penalised for asking questions people in high places don't want asked.
"This attack was the biggest single loss of life visited upon any town or village in Northern Ireland by terrorism, yet five years later we're still begging the Government for assistance.
"I've been stunned by the Community Relations Council's decision to reject our application. We are a cross community victims group, representing both sections of the community - not just one.
"How could a Government-funded agency not recognise our needs, and the work we are doing on both sides of the community in Omagh", he said.
"We would have benefited from the awarding system if we'd split up into a Protestant group and a Catholic group, and gone to the CRC.
"That seems to be the lesson in this. Being a cross-community group appears to have disadvantaged us with the CRC."
Mr Gallagher says he is now going to ask politicians to step into the issue, and monitor funding for victims groups.
"I am calling on the House of Commons Select Committee to launch an enquiry into how Peace and Reconciliation money is spent, and I'm going to ask how the $50m from Washington is going to be allocated.
"The place seems to be awash with money for victims groups, but for the families of the worst atrocity ever perpetrated in Northern Ireland, not a penny of public money is available.
"How can this be right? How can Ministers justify this?"
Further Information
Publisher: SUNDAY LIFE
Ref: SL/149
Published Date: 06-Apr-03
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