The Irish Government has a “moral responsibility” to fund counselling for people affected by the Omagh bombing, a former police officer who gave evidence at the inquiry into the atrocity has said.
Richard Scott said he believed it was “the right thing for them to do” and would be “a fantastic gesture”.
Such a move would be to help “get them back on their feet again and help them cope with what’s coming over the next two years” with the inquiry.
The Republic has a “moral responsibility” to assist the victims in circumstances where the bomb originated in that jurisdiction, he said.
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“We need that help, and I think they’re in a position to help us,” he said.
[ DUP leader calls for parallel Omagh inquiry in South to avoid ‘partial picture’Opens in new window ]
A car bomb planted by the dissident republican group the Real IRA killed 31 people, including unborn twins, when it exploded in the Co Tyrone town on August 15th, 1998.
An inquiry into the bombing, which was ordered by the UK government to examine whether the atrocity could reasonably have been prevented by British state authorities, opened in Omagh last year.
Mr Scott helped recover the bodies of victims following the bombing and now runs Military and Police Support of West Tyrone (MAPS), an Omagh-based support and welfare organisation for former service personnel.
He was among a number of police witnesses who spoke of the bombing’s ongoing mental-health impact.
In the wake of the inquiry hearings, he said, he has had police officers connected to the Omagh investigation “coming to me for counselling for the first time in 26 years”. A common theme arising from the inquiry is the need for stand-alone, sustained counselling services, he said.
The former police officer echoed calls for Ireland to set up its own inquiry into the bombing.
This was recommended by the high court judge who ordered the UK inquiry, but the Irish Government has declined to do so, instead pledging to give its “full co-operation” to the current inquiry in the North.
The Government is expected to sign a memorandum of understanding in March over the disclosure of potentially relevant material held by the State.
“There’s a reluctance to admit that this bomb actually came from down south, and maybe [the Government is] hiding behind the sofa and hoping this all goes away, but we know it’s not going away, and we’re living through this,” Mr Scott said.
“My personal view is they need to get involved fully, but there’s a moral responsibility on their behalf that they should provide some sort of emergency funding to see us through the trauma that this inquiry is causing.”
In a statement, the Government said a separate parallel inquiry is not currently considered warranted. However, it will keep under review the potential need for further action.
It emphasised its legislative and non-legislative assistance given to survivors of the Troubles, including of the Omagh bombing over many years, including through the Remembrance Commission and the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Reconciliation Fund.
