FUND CHAIRMAN DEFENDS ITS RECORDS
Fund chairman defends its record
BY: ROSETTA DONNELLY
Final figure expected to reach �5m
THE Omagh Fund has rejected criticism which has been levelled at it, saying it is trying to do its absolute best for the people injured and bereaved in the bomb.
It said this is its overriding concern, along with a responsibility to the many generous people who donated money to the Fund.
Sean O'Dwyer, Chairman, said distributing money is a complex issue, especially since it is being done in such a way that the person's needs are assessed before allocation.
To date the Omagh Fund has received �1m and of this �487,444 has been paid to 223 people.
It refuted claims that it had contributed money towards the Omagh Christmas Lights or other events in the town, saying that the sole recipients are the people affected by the bomb.
The Chairman said the Fund had been on the receiving end of some criticism that it had allocated money to people who did not need it, and that it had not apportioned the money fairly.
He said the method the Trustees are using to dispense the money is that the people injured and the families bereaved register with the Fund, and to date 410 people have done this.
The Chairman refused to detail who received what and said that was confidential and would remain so. But he said interim payments have been
made and it was expected to pay out further substantial sums before the middle of next year.
He said that the Fund has not paid out money to those traumatised by the bomb, but this would be the next stage for the Trustees. Members will attend a seminar in January held by the Social Services Trauma team who will advise them on the situation at that time.
Trustee members travelled to Dunblane recently to speak to the people of the Fund there, and be guided by their experiences in dealing with trauma, particularly in relation to children.
Omagh Fund Manager, Brian Oliphant said that the final sum will probably be in the region of �5m. He said that at the moment there is about �2m which has been raised and is being collected, but has not reached the coffers of the Fund yet.
He went on to say that the Fund cannot and will not put pressure on people or groups to get in the money as quickly as possible, because it
understands the difficulty in collecting money before and after fundraising events.
He said there will be a cut-off date and it is likely to be the middle of 1999.
In response to some of the criticisms directed at it, Brian Oliphant said that one comment was that someone had got money who was not affected by the bomb. He added if there is someone who knows of any person who received money through deception, they should contact the Fund, name the person and it will be thoroughly investigated.
He said theirs is not an exact science, but the Fund is doing the best it can to assess the needs of a large number of people who were injured, and apportion a sum of money - the total of which has not even yet been determined.
The Fund has met with the Omagh Victims Support group twice, and according to the chairman, they were very beneficial meetings. Six representatives of the group, including the chairman and vice chairman, Michael Gallagher and Stanley McCombe, put their views to the Fund.
It is also planning on holding a semi-public meeting in March at which press and representatives of those injured in the bomb will be invited to attend and state their views.
The Trustees meet each week, with the chairman spending almost two days a week at the Omagh Fund office at Lisnamallard House.
On Monday of this week, the Chairman, Sean O'Dwyer hosted a reception for the many people who have helped get the Fund established, including the many companies who have allowed staff to be seconded.
Mr O'Dwyer, who footed the bill for the reception from his own pocket, thanked the companies, the advisers and other local people who help in the complex task of administering the Fund.
BY: ROSETTA DONNELLY
Final figure expected to reach �5m
THE Omagh Fund has rejected criticism which has been levelled at it, saying it is trying to do its absolute best for the people injured and bereaved in the bomb.
It said this is its overriding concern, along with a responsibility to the many generous people who donated money to the Fund.
Sean O'Dwyer, Chairman, said distributing money is a complex issue, especially since it is being done in such a way that the person's needs are assessed before allocation.
To date the Omagh Fund has received �1m and of this �487,444 has been paid to 223 people.
It refuted claims that it had contributed money towards the Omagh Christmas Lights or other events in the town, saying that the sole recipients are the people affected by the bomb.
The Chairman said the Fund had been on the receiving end of some criticism that it had allocated money to people who did not need it, and that it had not apportioned the money fairly.
He said the method the Trustees are using to dispense the money is that the people injured and the families bereaved register with the Fund, and to date 410 people have done this.
The Chairman refused to detail who received what and said that was confidential and would remain so. But he said interim payments have been
made and it was expected to pay out further substantial sums before the middle of next year.
He said that the Fund has not paid out money to those traumatised by the bomb, but this would be the next stage for the Trustees. Members will attend a seminar in January held by the Social Services Trauma team who will advise them on the situation at that time.
Trustee members travelled to Dunblane recently to speak to the people of the Fund there, and be guided by their experiences in dealing with trauma, particularly in relation to children.
Omagh Fund Manager, Brian Oliphant said that the final sum will probably be in the region of �5m. He said that at the moment there is about �2m which has been raised and is being collected, but has not reached the coffers of the Fund yet.
He went on to say that the Fund cannot and will not put pressure on people or groups to get in the money as quickly as possible, because it
understands the difficulty in collecting money before and after fundraising events.
He said there will be a cut-off date and it is likely to be the middle of 1999.
In response to some of the criticisms directed at it, Brian Oliphant said that one comment was that someone had got money who was not affected by the bomb. He added if there is someone who knows of any person who received money through deception, they should contact the Fund, name the person and it will be thoroughly investigated.
He said theirs is not an exact science, but the Fund is doing the best it can to assess the needs of a large number of people who were injured, and apportion a sum of money - the total of which has not even yet been determined.
The Fund has met with the Omagh Victims Support group twice, and according to the chairman, they were very beneficial meetings. Six representatives of the group, including the chairman and vice chairman, Michael Gallagher and Stanley McCombe, put their views to the Fund.
It is also planning on holding a semi-public meeting in March at which press and representatives of those injured in the bomb will be invited to attend and state their views.
The Trustees meet each week, with the chairman spending almost two days a week at the Omagh Fund office at Lisnamallard House.
On Monday of this week, the Chairman, Sean O'Dwyer hosted a reception for the many people who have helped get the Fund established, including the many companies who have allowed staff to be seconded.
Mr O'Dwyer, who footed the bill for the reception from his own pocket, thanked the companies, the advisers and other local people who help in the complex task of administering the Fund.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0700
Published Date: 17-Dec-98
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