POLICING BOARD IN LONG AND EXHAUSTING DEBATE ON OMAGH BOMB REPORTS
Policing Board in 'long and exhausting' debate on Omagh bomb reports
THE new Northern Ireland Policing Board was this week facing its most difficult task to date after hours of debate on Tuesday failed to produce any consensus following meetings with the Chief Constable and Police Ombudsman.
The 19-strong Board met Sir Ronnie Flanagan and Mrs. Nuala O'Loan to discuss her criticism of the police investigation of the Omagh bombing, and the response by the Chief Constable to that criticism.
After meeting both individually, the Policing Board debated their response late into the night, and adjourned without reaching any consensus.
Discussions will resume today (Thursday), the Policing Board said yesterday.
One Board member, Mr. Joe Byrne, West Tyrone SDLP Assemblyman, described Tuesday's meeting as "long and exhausting".
He said the hope was that today's reconvened meeting would agree a set of recommendations.
Indications
Such progress became increasingly unlikely as midnight approached on Tuesday, with indications of stresses and strains among members of the Board.
Comments made by political appointees as they went into the meeting seemed to suggest there would be deep divisions, and this appears to have been the case.
Later, it was reported that the meeting had broken down into small groups along party political lines, with independent members engaged in 'shuttle diplomacy' between the political factions in a bid to resolve the issues.
Going into the meeting, Lord Kilclooney, deputy leader of the UUP, called on Mrs. O'Loan to resign, but Alex Attwood, of the SDLP said the Board's only concern had to be to maximise confidence in the inquiry.
It is understood that both the Chief Constable the Police Ombudsman strenuously defended their reports. The Policing Board also had access to the internal RUC review, the so called McVicker Report, which is believed to have been critical of the way the investigation had up to that stage.
More significantly, perhaps, was the presence of Dan Crompton, of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. He is an adviser to the Government and to the Secretary of State, and advice from his organisation usually carries significant weight and influence.
Coming out of the meeting on Tuesday night, though, Lord Kilclooney said that, if anything, he was of an even stronger opinion that the Police Ombudsman should go.
He said he had been very impressed with the Chief Constable who had "wiped the floor" with Mrs. O'Loan's arguments.
THE new Northern Ireland Policing Board was this week facing its most difficult task to date after hours of debate on Tuesday failed to produce any consensus following meetings with the Chief Constable and Police Ombudsman.
The 19-strong Board met Sir Ronnie Flanagan and Mrs. Nuala O'Loan to discuss her criticism of the police investigation of the Omagh bombing, and the response by the Chief Constable to that criticism.
After meeting both individually, the Policing Board debated their response late into the night, and adjourned without reaching any consensus.
Discussions will resume today (Thursday), the Policing Board said yesterday.
One Board member, Mr. Joe Byrne, West Tyrone SDLP Assemblyman, described Tuesday's meeting as "long and exhausting".
He said the hope was that today's reconvened meeting would agree a set of recommendations.
Indications
Such progress became increasingly unlikely as midnight approached on Tuesday, with indications of stresses and strains among members of the Board.
Comments made by political appointees as they went into the meeting seemed to suggest there would be deep divisions, and this appears to have been the case.
Later, it was reported that the meeting had broken down into small groups along party political lines, with independent members engaged in 'shuttle diplomacy' between the political factions in a bid to resolve the issues.
Going into the meeting, Lord Kilclooney, deputy leader of the UUP, called on Mrs. O'Loan to resign, but Alex Attwood, of the SDLP said the Board's only concern had to be to maximise confidence in the inquiry.
It is understood that both the Chief Constable the Police Ombudsman strenuously defended their reports. The Policing Board also had access to the internal RUC review, the so called McVicker Report, which is believed to have been critical of the way the investigation had up to that stage.
More significantly, perhaps, was the presence of Dan Crompton, of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. He is an adviser to the Government and to the Secretary of State, and advice from his organisation usually carries significant weight and influence.
Coming out of the meeting on Tuesday night, though, Lord Kilclooney said that, if anything, he was of an even stronger opinion that the Police Ombudsman should go.
He said he had been very impressed with the Chief Constable who had "wiped the floor" with Mrs. O'Loan's arguments.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1014
Published Date: 07-Feb-02
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