The Department of Foreign Affairs has been seriously irked by the Garda Síochána's decision to send two senior Garda officers to Omagh yesterday for a meeting with bereaved relatives.
The Department learned first about the visit of Garda Assistant Commissioner Kevin Carty and Det Chief Supt Tadhg Foley from the SDLP on Wednesday afternoon.
The Department of Justice was informed by Garda Headquarters at or around the same time, which led it to contact the Department of the Taoiseach.
The Department of Foreign Affairs immediately contacted the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman, Mrs Nuala O'Loan, to reassure her the visit did not mean any softening in the Government's support for her work.
Last night, the Government spokesman denied strong suggestions that the Government had considered cancelling the Garda officers' trip at the last minute. "The Garda made it clear that they were going there to brief the relatives and to do no more than that," the spokesman told The Irish Times.
However, he acknowledged the Government would not itself have proposed the Garda should attend the briefing in Omagh at this time.
The Minister of Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, and the secretary general of the Department, Mr Tim Dalton, who are both in New York, were told about the plan on Wednesday evening.
The Minister is in the US to deliver a speech about the EU's response to the September 11th atrocities at the John Jay College in New York.
Fine Gael leader Mr Michael Noonan said it was "a great pity" the controversies about the PSNI's performance and the gardaí's trip had diverted attention from the bombers.
"There is no circumstance whatsoever that this could have happened without the knowledge of the Minister for Justice of the day. If he expressed strong disapproval it would not have happened." The Fine Gael leader said he understood why the Garda Síochána would have wanted a presence at the Omagh event, because of the criticism it has faced about its own inquiry.
The Garda was now "in a strong position" following the conviction last week on conspiracy charges of Colm Murphy in the Special Criminal Court.
The Garda's decision could cause problems because of the current bitter row between the PSNI and the Police Ombudsman over the Omagh investigation, he believed.
"However, Labour TD Mr Brendan Howlin said his party did not have a problem with the presence of the Assistant Commissioner and detective chief superintendent.
"I must say that I welcome the presence of the two gardaí. I don't think that anybody should read anything into it other than what is obvious," said Mr Howlin, the party's justice spokesperson.
The joint presentation to the Omagh relatives was a "manifestation of the clear co-operation" that has existed between the Garda and the Police Service of Northern since the atrocity. The two officers were available to answer any questions the bereaved might have had.
