Taoiseach promises to help families of Omagh bomb victims

The Government has promised to help relatives of those killed and injured in the 1998 Omagh bomb to pursue every avenue to get to the truth and ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

Families bereaved by the Real IRA bombing met Taoiseach Enda Kenny in Dublin on Tuesday evening.

They asked Mr Kenny about official action on the matter since they handed over a confidential report on the bombing more than three years ago.

“We had a good and frank discussion on the issues of concern to the group in relation to the Omagh bombing,” Mr Kenny said.

“I assured them that the Government will continue to work with the people of Omagh to pursue every avenue to get to the truth to ensure that those who perpetrated this atrocity are brought to justice.”

Mr Kenny said he had told the group the Government would give a full response to all of the issues they raised in the report submitted to the Coalition following the conclusion of current criminal proceedings.

Twenty-nine people, including a woman pregnant with twins, were killed and more than 200 were injured when a 500lb car bomb, planted by the Real IRA, exploded in the Co Tyrone market town in August 1998.

It was the single worst atrocity of the Troubles.

Members of the Omagh Support and Self Help Group, which represents some relatives, have been calling for a full public inquiry for 14 years. They have been backed by Amnesty International.

The families believe there was a failure to share intelligence which could have prevented the dissident republican bombing and their wide-ranging report has raised questions about police investigations on both sides of the Irish border.

Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden died, has been campaigning for action.

“We delivered a confidential report to the Irish Government on July 19th, 2012. We have not really had any response to that,” he said.

PA