MINISTER OF INJUSTICE MCDOWELL THREATENS TO WALK OUT ON OMAGH FAMILIES
MINISTER OF INJUSTICE
By JILLY BEATTIE
McDowell threatens to walk out on Omagh families
Won't answer questions and treats them 'like idiots'
OMAGH bomb relatives last night hit out at Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell after he threatened to walk out on them at a meeting yesterday.
The minister also refused to answer questions from the group, which included Michael Gallagher and Godfrey Wilson, who said they were treated "like idiots".
Mr Gallagher, 54, whose son Aidan, 21, was killed in the 1998 atrocity, said: "It was appalling. Mr McDowell would answer no questions, he would not give us anything and we felt we were being treated like a bunch of idiots.
"We did a 300-mile round trip to see this character and every time I asked him a question he just shook his head and said, 'No'. He wouldn't answer a thing."
The minister then tried to stop the meeting in Dublin after 60 minutes but after a heated argument he was persuaded to take more questions about the Irish Government's involvement in the Omagh probe.
But Mr Wilson, 49, who lost his daughter Lorraine, 15, in the blast, could take no more when he heard the minister had not even read the report into the investigation by PSNI Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan.
He said: "I couldn't believe the Minister agreed to meet us in Dublin with the full intention of helping us in no way at all. He is the Irish justice minister, but I would say what he knows about justice is precious little. He is certainly doing nothing for the 31 souls lost in Omagh.
"I told him I was sick of being told there was nothing that could be done, I said I was sick of hearing lies and half truths, I said I was sick of us being avoided, sick of the disgraceful attitude by the Irish and British Governments."
But Mr McDowell reacted to the outburst by announcing he had no more to say and got up to leave.
He was convinced to stay by Mr Gallagher, who said: "We had more questions to ask the Minister and when he calmed down, he sat down. But he still didn't tell us anything.
"It was a wasted trip and only confirmed what we already knew - that no one in Government wants to help us in our quest for justice."
The group was also told that the Nally inquiry team had not interviewed Paddy Dixon, a former garda informant who supplied stolen cars to the Real IRA.
The Omagh families will meet with Secretary of State Paul Murphy on June 14 to put more questions to him.
Mr Gallagher added: "Our patience and faith in people has worn thin. But we will not be going away."
By JILLY BEATTIE
McDowell threatens to walk out on Omagh families
Won't answer questions and treats them 'like idiots'
OMAGH bomb relatives last night hit out at Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell after he threatened to walk out on them at a meeting yesterday.
The minister also refused to answer questions from the group, which included Michael Gallagher and Godfrey Wilson, who said they were treated "like idiots".
Mr Gallagher, 54, whose son Aidan, 21, was killed in the 1998 atrocity, said: "It was appalling. Mr McDowell would answer no questions, he would not give us anything and we felt we were being treated like a bunch of idiots.
"We did a 300-mile round trip to see this character and every time I asked him a question he just shook his head and said, 'No'. He wouldn't answer a thing."
The minister then tried to stop the meeting in Dublin after 60 minutes but after a heated argument he was persuaded to take more questions about the Irish Government's involvement in the Omagh probe.
But Mr Wilson, 49, who lost his daughter Lorraine, 15, in the blast, could take no more when he heard the minister had not even read the report into the investigation by PSNI Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan.
He said: "I couldn't believe the Minister agreed to meet us in Dublin with the full intention of helping us in no way at all. He is the Irish justice minister, but I would say what he knows about justice is precious little. He is certainly doing nothing for the 31 souls lost in Omagh.
"I told him I was sick of being told there was nothing that could be done, I said I was sick of hearing lies and half truths, I said I was sick of us being avoided, sick of the disgraceful attitude by the Irish and British Governments."
But Mr McDowell reacted to the outburst by announcing he had no more to say and got up to leave.
He was convinced to stay by Mr Gallagher, who said: "We had more questions to ask the Minister and when he calmed down, he sat down. But he still didn't tell us anything.
"It was a wasted trip and only confirmed what we already knew - that no one in Government wants to help us in our quest for justice."
The group was also told that the Nally inquiry team had not interviewed Paddy Dixon, a former garda informant who supplied stolen cars to the Real IRA.
The Omagh families will meet with Secretary of State Paul Murphy on June 14 to put more questions to him.
Mr Gallagher added: "Our patience and faith in people has worn thin. But we will not be going away."
Further Information
Publisher: THE MIRROR
Ref: TM/212
Published Date: 01-Jun-04
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