Lawyer for victims of 1974 bombs disputes liability claims

A legal advisor for the organisaton representing victims and relatives of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings has dismissed reports…

A legal advisor for the organisaton representing victims and relatives of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings has dismissed reports that the group claimed the Government is liable for compensation.

In his report published yesterday evening, Mr Justice Barron criticised the then Fine Gael/Labour coalition led by Mr Liam Cosgrave, saying "the Government of the day showed little interest in the bombings".

It had been reported today that the victims and relatives were claiming the Government was liable to pay compensation following the findings of the Barron report.

Mr Greg O'Neill, a solicitor and legal advisor for Justice for the Forgotten told ireland.comthat he had been informed that it had been reported that the group was now looking for compensation. He denied the group had made the claim.

READ MORE

"We're looking at all legal options and we'll take our time, a lot of time, to look at them.

"This [the Barron report] was a shocking report. It's findings were shocking and its an indictment of the Government of the day and how those families involved are vindicated will have to be worked out.

"We have issues with the gardaí and we have issues with the Government. These issues will have to be resolved but they are a backdrop to what really happened," he said.

The main issues, Mr O'Neill said, were to identify the perpetrators and to establish any collusion that occurred.

Mr O'Neill added the Barron report had established a platform of verified fact and his group would be looking to the Government to persuade the British government to co-operate fully with any inquiry into the bombings.