TAOISEACH ON FLYING VISIT TO OMAGH
Taoiseach on flying visit to Omagh
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will be in Omagh for just over an hour today when he is expected to visit the site of the Omagh bomb and later meet with the Council and community representatives. The visit by An Taoiseach comes six months after he was criticised for failing to attend a ceremony to mark the fifth anniversary of the 1998 Omagh bombing atrocity. However, the decision by the Omagh Self Help Group of relatives of bomb victims not to meet the Taoiseach when he visits the town is not intended as a snub, according to its chairman Michael Gallagher.
Contrary to weekend reports, Mr Gallagher denied that the relatives were boycotting Mr Ahern's visit. Rather, he said it was a case of having a prior engagement with Mr Ahern's opposite number in the Dail, Opposition Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny, which was arranged some months before the Taoiseach's visit to Omagh was announced.
In any case, Mr Gallagher said that there was insufficient time allotted during the visit for any serious dialogue with Mr Ahern since only some 10-15 minutes had been set aside to meet with the victims' families.
"Moreover, we do feel that protocols which should have seen the Taoiseach's Office issuing an invitation were not observed. Instead the families received their invitation from the (Omagh District) council. There was further concern that had any meeting taken place it would not have been in private,"
"I think the Taoiseach missed an opportunity here. His Office didn't contact us.
"We feel that the meeting we'll be having on Thursday (with Mr Kenny) and a representative from the Irish Council of Civil Liberties will be far deeper and more meaningful. I think the Taoiseach will make time for a proper meeting with us in the future," said Mr Gallagher.
Mr Ahern will be arriving in Omagh shortly before 3pm when he will go to the site of the atrocity accompanied by chairman and chief executive of Omagh District Council, Ulster Unionist Cllr Allan Rainey and Danny McSorley. He will then go to the council offices where he will meet other councillors.
Meanwhile, the Sinn Fein bloc is looking forward to welcoming the Irish Premier, saying the visit is a "significant boost" for the town and district.
The party will present a letter to Mr Ahern and hopes to address him on a wide range of issues of local concern. These include, British army and police collusion in loyalist murders, electoral registration, representation in the Oireachtas, voting rights for northerners in the Irish Presidential elections, the all-Ireland potential of the Good Friday Agreement and the availability of Irish Passport facilities in the North.
The SDLP grouping has also warmly welcomed news of Mr Ahern's visit to Omagh and to the formal meeting with the Council.
Cllr Joe Byrne said, "It is significant that Mr Ahern is coming here during his EU Presidency tenure. The timing is important as it is a time when North and South need to be maximised both in economic and political terms".
Pat McDonnell, SDLP, also welcomed the visit and said he would be urging Mr Ahern to have a meaningful and substantive meeting ith the Omagh Support group.
Mr Ahern will be travelling by helicopter on his whistle-stop tour of the North. In Coleraine, the Taoiseach will visit the University of Ulster where he will be welcomed by Tyrone-born Vice-Chancellor Gerry McKenna.
He will meet also with the chief executive and staff of the Coleraine office of Tourism Ireland, and deliver a keynote address on the peace process.
BY ROSETTA DONNELLY
TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will be in Omagh for just over an hour today when he is expected to visit the site of the Omagh bomb and later meet with the Council and community representatives. The visit by An Taoiseach comes six months after he was criticised for failing to attend a ceremony to mark the fifth anniversary of the 1998 Omagh bombing atrocity. However, the decision by the Omagh Self Help Group of relatives of bomb victims not to meet the Taoiseach when he visits the town is not intended as a snub, according to its chairman Michael Gallagher.
Contrary to weekend reports, Mr Gallagher denied that the relatives were boycotting Mr Ahern's visit. Rather, he said it was a case of having a prior engagement with Mr Ahern's opposite number in the Dail, Opposition Fine Gael Leader Enda Kenny, which was arranged some months before the Taoiseach's visit to Omagh was announced.
In any case, Mr Gallagher said that there was insufficient time allotted during the visit for any serious dialogue with Mr Ahern since only some 10-15 minutes had been set aside to meet with the victims' families.
"Moreover, we do feel that protocols which should have seen the Taoiseach's Office issuing an invitation were not observed. Instead the families received their invitation from the (Omagh District) council. There was further concern that had any meeting taken place it would not have been in private,"
"I think the Taoiseach missed an opportunity here. His Office didn't contact us.
"We feel that the meeting we'll be having on Thursday (with Mr Kenny) and a representative from the Irish Council of Civil Liberties will be far deeper and more meaningful. I think the Taoiseach will make time for a proper meeting with us in the future," said Mr Gallagher.
Mr Ahern will be arriving in Omagh shortly before 3pm when he will go to the site of the atrocity accompanied by chairman and chief executive of Omagh District Council, Ulster Unionist Cllr Allan Rainey and Danny McSorley. He will then go to the council offices where he will meet other councillors.
Meanwhile, the Sinn Fein bloc is looking forward to welcoming the Irish Premier, saying the visit is a "significant boost" for the town and district.
The party will present a letter to Mr Ahern and hopes to address him on a wide range of issues of local concern. These include, British army and police collusion in loyalist murders, electoral registration, representation in the Oireachtas, voting rights for northerners in the Irish Presidential elections, the all-Ireland potential of the Good Friday Agreement and the availability of Irish Passport facilities in the North.
The SDLP grouping has also warmly welcomed news of Mr Ahern's visit to Omagh and to the formal meeting with the Council.
Cllr Joe Byrne said, "It is significant that Mr Ahern is coming here during his EU Presidency tenure. The timing is important as it is a time when North and South need to be maximised both in economic and political terms".
Pat McDonnell, SDLP, also welcomed the visit and said he would be urging Mr Ahern to have a meaningful and substantive meeting ith the Omagh Support group.
Mr Ahern will be travelling by helicopter on his whistle-stop tour of the North. In Coleraine, the Taoiseach will visit the University of Ulster where he will be welcomed by Tyrone-born Vice-Chancellor Gerry McKenna.
He will meet also with the chief executive and staff of the Coleraine office of Tourism Ireland, and deliver a keynote address on the peace process.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/1746
Published Date: 09-Feb-04
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