YEAR IN REVIEW - AUGUST
August
Meanwhile, the father of Omagh bomb victim, Aiden Gallagher, expressed his outrage after the Northern Ireland Victims' Minister, Angela Smith, had rejected his plea for help in securing a vacant Housing Executive property for his traumatised daughter, Sharon (30), near to the family home in Omagh.
At the time, Mr Gallagher had said his daughter suffered from depression following the death of her brother, Aiden (21), who was murdered in the Real IRA bomb in Omagh five years ago, along with 28 others and unborn twins.
Mr Gallagher, had at the time, written to the Minister, outlining Sharon's case and the need for her to have support from her family living nearby, and urged the Minister to use her influence.
He said he had been shocked by her response, telling him, that all houses were allocated on the basis of a points system, due to legal requirements.
In the second week of August, meanwhile, relatives of the Omagh bomb victims met with two Government Ministers to discuss the government decision to contribute �800,000 towards their civil legal action against five Real IRA suspects.
Described at the time as "light at the end of the tunnel", the visit had arrived just two days before the fifth anniversary of the Omagh atrocity which claimed 31 lives including unborn twins.
Representatives of families of those killed in the explosion met with Lord Filken, Permanent Undersecretary of the Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA), and NIO Security Minister, Jane Kennedy, at the Memorial Garden, off Drumragh Avenue, before they made their way down to the bomb site at Market Street.
During a private meeting at the Silverbirch Hotel the fine print of the proposed financial support had been outlined, where they discussed what would happen if the bill were to rise beyond the anticipated additional �800,000.
Meanwhile, the fifth anniversary took place of the Omagh bomb which claimed 31 lives including unborn twins, on August 15 1998.
The commemoration was held on a beautiful summer's day similar to that on which the terrible atrocity occurred at a memorial service just outside the memorial garden, off Drumragh Avenue, in the town. The short service had drawn several hundred people, to the last civic led
public remembrance planned until the 10th anniversary, and had included bereaved relatives, people who were injured, emergency services personnel who were working that day, representatives from Omagh District Council, and the British and Irish governments.
Meanwhile, the father of Omagh bomb victim, Aiden Gallagher, expressed his outrage after the Northern Ireland Victims' Minister, Angela Smith, had rejected his plea for help in securing a vacant Housing Executive property for his traumatised daughter, Sharon (30), near to the family home in Omagh.
At the time, Mr Gallagher had said his daughter suffered from depression following the death of her brother, Aiden (21), who was murdered in the Real IRA bomb in Omagh five years ago, along with 28 others and unborn twins.
Mr Gallagher, had at the time, written to the Minister, outlining Sharon's case and the need for her to have support from her family living nearby, and urged the Minister to use her influence.
He said he had been shocked by her response, telling him, that all houses were allocated on the basis of a points system, due to legal requirements.
In the second week of August, meanwhile, relatives of the Omagh bomb victims met with two Government Ministers to discuss the government decision to contribute �800,000 towards their civil legal action against five Real IRA suspects.
Described at the time as "light at the end of the tunnel", the visit had arrived just two days before the fifth anniversary of the Omagh atrocity which claimed 31 lives including unborn twins.
Representatives of families of those killed in the explosion met with Lord Filken, Permanent Undersecretary of the Department of Constitutional Affairs (DCA), and NIO Security Minister, Jane Kennedy, at the Memorial Garden, off Drumragh Avenue, before they made their way down to the bomb site at Market Street.
During a private meeting at the Silverbirch Hotel the fine print of the proposed financial support had been outlined, where they discussed what would happen if the bill were to rise beyond the anticipated additional �800,000.
Meanwhile, the fifth anniversary took place of the Omagh bomb which claimed 31 lives including unborn twins, on August 15 1998.
The commemoration was held on a beautiful summer's day similar to that on which the terrible atrocity occurred at a memorial service just outside the memorial garden, off Drumragh Avenue, in the town. The short service had drawn several hundred people, to the last civic led
public remembrance planned until the 10th anniversary, and had included bereaved relatives, people who were injured, emergency services personnel who were working that day, representatives from Omagh District Council, and the British and Irish governments.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1680
Published Date: 30-Dec-03
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