INQUEST COSTS OF SOME RELATIVES TO BE COVERED BY GOVERNMENT
Inquest costs of some relative's to be covered by Government
By JOHN McCUSKER
Request for one inquest to be held in England
THE father of one of those who died in the Omagh bomb has welcomed news that relatives' legal costs are to met from public funds.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son, Aiden was among those who died, greeted this week's announcement that the Government would take care of some of the legal expenses incurred during the forthcoming inquests into the deaths.
But he felt the stipulation that only families who qualified for legal aid would benefit from the scheme was wrong.
At present, legal aid provisions do not apply to coroner's courts proceedings in Northern Ireland.
Announcing plans to make public funds available in this instance, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine said the decision was taken because of the 'exceptional' circumstances surrounding the Omagh case.
Mr Gallagher, however, believes the Government has not gone far enough and should extend the scheme to cover the families of all those who lost loved ones in the attack. It is not known how many of the Omagh families are directly affected by the move.
"This payment should not be means tested," he said. "Families are expected to meet the expense of legal representation at the inquest. But because this has resulted from the bombing, we feel that the Government should step in to meet these costs.
"If the victims had died in a car accident, then insurance companies would have paid for legal representation.
But people have no way of recouping these costs and we feel it is an unreasonable burden to be put on families at this time."
Mr Gallagher, who is chairman of the Omagh Self Help Group which represents the families of a number of the victims, said the group had raised the matter during a recent meeting with Belfast coroner, John Leckey. Mr Leckey will conduct proceedings when the inquest opens at Omagh Leisure Centre on September 6.
"We brought it to his attention that we were unhappy with the fact that only those families qualifying for legal aid were entitled.
"When they went as far as making this gesture in the first place, we felt the government should have gone the whole way and not made any difference towards those involved," Mr Gallagher added.
The group intend raising the matter with Victims' Minister, Adam Ingram and local MP William Thompson, prior to the inquest's preliminary hearing on August 30.
Meanwhile, the father of one of the young victims has appealed to the Coroner to allow his inquest to be held in England.
Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son James was among those who died, said it would be impossible for him to attend the inquest in Omagh.
Mr Barker is one of those who will not qualify for legal aid. This week the Surrey based solicitor said he would not be prepared to represent himself at the inquest in September.
"It's going to be impossible for me to get the time off work and I have already indicated to the Coroner that if they don't agree to hold the inquest in England, there is no way I can attend for more than the opening days," Mr Barker said.
He added that it was 'extraordinary' that bereaved families had to pay for their own legal expenses and he also felt many relatives would find it very traumatic to attend the hearings.
This Sunday afternoon, relatives of those killed in Omagh will travel to take part in the unveiling of a memorial to the victims of the Claudy bombing. Nine people died when a number of car bombs exploded in the Co Derry village in July 1972.
Michael Gallagher said he felt it important that those touched by the Omagh tragedy should show their support to those affected by the Claudy atrocity.
"We feel it important to show solidarity to other victims who have suffered in a similar way to us," he added.
By JOHN McCUSKER
Request for one inquest to be held in England
THE father of one of those who died in the Omagh bomb has welcomed news that relatives' legal costs are to met from public funds.
Michael Gallagher, whose 21-year-old son, Aiden was among those who died, greeted this week's announcement that the Government would take care of some of the legal expenses incurred during the forthcoming inquests into the deaths.
But he felt the stipulation that only families who qualified for legal aid would benefit from the scheme was wrong.
At present, legal aid provisions do not apply to coroner's courts proceedings in Northern Ireland.
Announcing plans to make public funds available in this instance, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine said the decision was taken because of the 'exceptional' circumstances surrounding the Omagh case.
Mr Gallagher, however, believes the Government has not gone far enough and should extend the scheme to cover the families of all those who lost loved ones in the attack. It is not known how many of the Omagh families are directly affected by the move.
"This payment should not be means tested," he said. "Families are expected to meet the expense of legal representation at the inquest. But because this has resulted from the bombing, we feel that the Government should step in to meet these costs.
"If the victims had died in a car accident, then insurance companies would have paid for legal representation.
But people have no way of recouping these costs and we feel it is an unreasonable burden to be put on families at this time."
Mr Gallagher, who is chairman of the Omagh Self Help Group which represents the families of a number of the victims, said the group had raised the matter during a recent meeting with Belfast coroner, John Leckey. Mr Leckey will conduct proceedings when the inquest opens at Omagh Leisure Centre on September 6.
"We brought it to his attention that we were unhappy with the fact that only those families qualifying for legal aid were entitled.
"When they went as far as making this gesture in the first place, we felt the government should have gone the whole way and not made any difference towards those involved," Mr Gallagher added.
The group intend raising the matter with Victims' Minister, Adam Ingram and local MP William Thompson, prior to the inquest's preliminary hearing on August 30.
Meanwhile, the father of one of the young victims has appealed to the Coroner to allow his inquest to be held in England.
Victor Barker, whose 12-year-old son James was among those who died, said it would be impossible for him to attend the inquest in Omagh.
Mr Barker is one of those who will not qualify for legal aid. This week the Surrey based solicitor said he would not be prepared to represent himself at the inquest in September.
"It's going to be impossible for me to get the time off work and I have already indicated to the Coroner that if they don't agree to hold the inquest in England, there is no way I can attend for more than the opening days," Mr Barker said.
He added that it was 'extraordinary' that bereaved families had to pay for their own legal expenses and he also felt many relatives would find it very traumatic to attend the hearings.
This Sunday afternoon, relatives of those killed in Omagh will travel to take part in the unveiling of a memorial to the victims of the Claudy bombing. Nine people died when a number of car bombs exploded in the Co Derry village in July 1972.
Michael Gallagher said he felt it important that those touched by the Omagh tragedy should show their support to those affected by the Claudy atrocity.
"We feel it important to show solidarity to other victims who have suffered in a similar way to us," he added.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1354
Published Date: 27-Jul-00
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