EIRE PREMIER SET FOR FLYING VISIT TO OMAGH TODAY
Eire premier set for flying visit to Omagh today
by Ruth McKee
EIRE premier, Mr. Bertie Ahern, will be making a flying visit to Omagh today (Thursday) as part of a full-day of engagements in Northern Ireland.
As part of the planned visit, he is due to spend some time with families bereaved in the Omagh bomb.
However, some of the Omagh victims' group will be in Dublin at the time of the visit for a long standing prior engagement with Enda Kenny, the Fine Gael leader.
Spokesman for the group, Michael Gallagher, whose son, Aiden, was killed in the blast, said they had been asking for a meeting with the Taoiseach for five years because they have issues to discuss at length, and five or 10 minutes was not long enough.
"We feel that if the Taoiseach had seriously wanted to meet us his office would have been in touch.
"He did mention in the Dail before Christmas that he would be willing to meet with the families. We were concerned that if we met him at the end of a line with a handshake this could be perceived as a meeting," he said.
Mr. Gallagher said, however, it was important that people should continue to return to Omagh, so the people of Omagh feel they are not forgotten".
"It would be inappropriate for the families to cancel this meeting in Dublin that is maybe going to bring some real benefit, by sacrificing it for a handshake on the end of a line," he said.
Mr. Gallagher said the meeting today with Enda Kenny, was at the opposition leader's request to bring him up to date on the families' concerns about the Nally report and how the government had handled it.
"One is the fact that the Irish government has not made available the informer who could be a witness or a conspirator to the Omagh bomb, despite at least six formal requests from the 'investigation team North'."
Meanwhile, a legal challenge is set to be mounted against Secretary of State Paul Murphy, by the Omagh victims' group, for his alleged failure to ask the Irish government to allow Real IRA informer, Paddy Dixon, to be questioned by the PSNI.
Mr. Gallagher said they were taking legal advice on the feasibility of moving forward with the action.
"This is to try to get the government to assist the PSNI and make the informant available.
"I think it is very sad that the families should have to do this. We were assured both publicly and privately by the leaders of the British and Irish governments that everything possible would be done to bring those responsible before the courts," he said.
Engagements
Mr. Ahern, who is being flown in a helicopter to each of his engagements, is expected to arrive in Omagh shortly before 3pm., and will be met on arrival by chairman of the council, Mr. Allan Rainey and chief executive, Mr. Danny McSorley.
He will visit the bomb site and the Memorial Garden. He will also, visit the council offices for a short meeting with the council, followed by a meeting with representatives from across the community, and a meeting with the bereaved families.
Mr. Ahern will visit the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster, where he will deliver a keynote address on the peace process.
Later on he will go to Belfast's City Hall where he will meet the Lord Mayor Martin Morgan, and public representatives. He will also visit the West Belfast Partnership Board at the Springvale Training Centre where he will meet with community groups on a cross community basis.
by Ruth McKee
EIRE premier, Mr. Bertie Ahern, will be making a flying visit to Omagh today (Thursday) as part of a full-day of engagements in Northern Ireland.
As part of the planned visit, he is due to spend some time with families bereaved in the Omagh bomb.
However, some of the Omagh victims' group will be in Dublin at the time of the visit for a long standing prior engagement with Enda Kenny, the Fine Gael leader.
Spokesman for the group, Michael Gallagher, whose son, Aiden, was killed in the blast, said they had been asking for a meeting with the Taoiseach for five years because they have issues to discuss at length, and five or 10 minutes was not long enough.
"We feel that if the Taoiseach had seriously wanted to meet us his office would have been in touch.
"He did mention in the Dail before Christmas that he would be willing to meet with the families. We were concerned that if we met him at the end of a line with a handshake this could be perceived as a meeting," he said.
Mr. Gallagher said, however, it was important that people should continue to return to Omagh, so the people of Omagh feel they are not forgotten".
"It would be inappropriate for the families to cancel this meeting in Dublin that is maybe going to bring some real benefit, by sacrificing it for a handshake on the end of a line," he said.
Mr. Gallagher said the meeting today with Enda Kenny, was at the opposition leader's request to bring him up to date on the families' concerns about the Nally report and how the government had handled it.
"One is the fact that the Irish government has not made available the informer who could be a witness or a conspirator to the Omagh bomb, despite at least six formal requests from the 'investigation team North'."
Meanwhile, a legal challenge is set to be mounted against Secretary of State Paul Murphy, by the Omagh victims' group, for his alleged failure to ask the Irish government to allow Real IRA informer, Paddy Dixon, to be questioned by the PSNI.
Mr. Gallagher said they were taking legal advice on the feasibility of moving forward with the action.
"This is to try to get the government to assist the PSNI and make the informant available.
"I think it is very sad that the families should have to do this. We were assured both publicly and privately by the leaders of the British and Irish governments that everything possible would be done to bring those responsible before the courts," he said.
Engagements
Mr. Ahern, who is being flown in a helicopter to each of his engagements, is expected to arrive in Omagh shortly before 3pm., and will be met on arrival by chairman of the council, Mr. Allan Rainey and chief executive, Mr. Danny McSorley.
He will visit the bomb site and the Memorial Garden. He will also, visit the council offices for a short meeting with the council, followed by a meeting with representatives from across the community, and a meeting with the bereaved families.
Mr. Ahern will visit the Coleraine campus of the University of Ulster, where he will deliver a keynote address on the peace process.
Later on he will go to Belfast's City Hall where he will meet the Lord Mayor Martin Morgan, and public representatives. He will also visit the West Belfast Partnership Board at the Springvale Training Centre where he will meet with community groups on a cross community basis.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1688
Published Date: 19-Feb-04
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