UH/1172

Pledges flood in as Omagh Fund is officially launched
BY: ROSETTA DONNELLY

THE OMAGH FUND which had its official launch in the town on Tuesday, has been described by one of its trustees as 'the most emotional global funds of all time'.
The Fund which currently stands at £165,000, but which has over £1.5 million pledged, will be administered by a group of voluntary Trustees, who held a press conference this week at their new base at Lisnamallard House, Omagh.
The former Scott home at Old Mountfield Road, is the home for the Fund while it is in existence, and according to the Chairman, Derry man, Sean O'Dwyer, there is no time limit on it as yet, and that the Trustees will work until all the money is gone.
The press were told that at the moment the Fund has been contacted by people raising money as far away as New York and that it truly has an international dimension to it.
Fund Manager, Brian Oliphant, said that while they have £165,000 in their coffers at the moment, if the fundraising continues at the rate it presently is, there could be several million coming in.
The Trustees also confirmed that money being given to the injured and families of those bereaved would not affect any compensation claim in the, future.
To date £46,000 has been paid out £1,000 each to the families of the bereaved and £500 to the families those injured.
The group would not be drawn into what it described as "internal politics" when asked about the row within the GAA over the use of Healy Park in Omagh for a soccer match.
Mr O'Dwyer said "We commend anyone who wants to raise money for the Fund. We want to look for the goodness in people, rather than entering into blame culture. If they want to raise money, that is good, but we do not want to get involved in internal politics".
Mr O'Dwyer pointed to the fact that the GAA had pledged £lm the proceeds of the All Ireland Semi-final replay between Offaly and Clare. As well as that the Association encouraged all the local clubs to have fundraising events.
This type of knock on effect was also being felt in the world of golf following Darren Clarke's magnificent game which raised £348,000 for the Fund. Mr O'Dwyer said that with such trends being set by the professionals, similar fundraising events are being played in golf clubs throughout Ireland with all the proceeds going to the bomb victims.
Mr O'Dwyer "These are just two of the hundreds upon hundreds of events going on through Ireland. There are also events beyond our shores in Britain, Europe and America that are in the pipeline and organised by good people who want to add money to the Fund".
But the chairman went on to point out that there have been an awful lot of people affected by the bomb.
As well as the twenty nine deaths plus two unborn children, there are 370 who were injured and who attended hospitals or health centres.
In addition there are those who have been mentally traumatised because of the bomb some 2,000 people attended their local GPs (excluding Donegal and Spain).
Mr O'Dwyer said because of financial limits, the Fund may not be able to help the vast majority of those people, but if it can, it would like to.
Others affected, he said, are those smaller businesses a block away from the bomb, who will not be able to claim from the Compensation Agency. These cases the Fund may have to look at.
"All in all, at this time, we believe we may end up making payments to between 450 - 700 beneficiaries.
He said the task of he and his fellow trustees is to administer the money to benefit those adversely affected. "We are pleased to do so and are confident that in due course both the benefactors and the beneficiaries will say 'They did their job effectively, efficiently and fairly' we can ask no more".
The Duke of Abercorn stated that as part of their task, they have studied other Appeal Funds such as Hungerford and Bradford in England. "I believe this has a different dimension it could be the most emotional global fund of all time" he said.
The Trustees have drawn up six operating principles:
1. To act with maximum speed, especially with regard to initial payments.
2. To keep administration costs to an absolute minimum.
3. To maintain absolute confidentiality regarding beneficiaries and the amounts paid to individuals.
4. To make payments in the manner most helpfuland beneficial to recipients.
5. To make distribution to beneficiaries calculated on assessment of individuals need: and
6. The Trustees in their role should not meet individual beneficiaries (This is not to say that circumstances may occur when they do meet
beneficiaries as individuals)