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ITV News
17 hours ago
- Politics
- ITV News
Omagh victims to use inquiry to ‘heap shame' on Irish Government for its failings over the atrocity
The Irish government's commitment to the Omagh Bombing Inquiry has come under severe criticism from bereaved families and injured survivors. On Tuesday, the inquiry was told that many families are "sick and tired" of false assurances and broken promises from Dublin. Barrister Alan Kane KC delivered a statement on behalf of the families of Omagh victims represented by solicitor John McBurney. These include the families of Debra-Anne Cartwright, Olive Hawkes, Julia Hughes, Philomena Skelton, Samantha McFarland, Alan Radford, Lorraine Wilson, who were all killed in the massacre, as well as several other people who were injured. He told the inquiry: 'Our clients are of the clear belief that whatever aspects of preventability may lie at the door of the UK state authorities, blame, to a greater or lesser extent, rests with the state authorities in the Republic of Ireland. 'Our clients again renew their call for a parallel inquiry to be immediately established by the government of the Republic of Ireland, a call that they should not be required to repeat. 'Our clients remain greatly disappointed at the lack of any commitment of the authorities in the Republic of Ireland to meaningfully assist this inquiry. 'They regard the memorandum of understanding, agreed with the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Ireland as wholly unsatisfactory. 'Our clients wish to use this inquiry to heap shame on the Government of the Republic of Ireland for their failures.' However, the Taoiseach has defended his government's approach, saying that it is fully committed to the inquiry. Micheál Martin said: 'The difficulty with a parallel inquiry is you would have two inquiries going on at the same time into basically the same issues, and that could lead to a lot of duplication and delay. 'We're very, very clear of the need for our government and our Department of Justice, and others, to be fully open in terms of materials to be sent to the Omagh inquiry, and to co-operate fully with the Omagh inquiry. 'Certainly we are interested in (the inquiry), obviously, in terms of any potential future atrocities, and also to give justice to the families and some degree of closure, if that's possible, to the families who have fought long and hard for transparency on this issue.'
The Independent
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Omagh victims intend to use public inquiry to ‘heap shame' on Irish Government
Victims of the Omagh bombing intend to use a public inquiry to 'heap shame' on the Irish Government for its failings over the atrocity, a barrister has said. The inquiry also heard that victims are 'sick and tired of platitudes, false assurances and broken promises' from Dublin over the bombing. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, is hearing opening statements from core participants. On Tuesday the focus moved to statements from the legal representatives of bereaved families. The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities. Barrister Alan Kane KC delivered a statement on behalf of the families of Omagh victims represented by solicitor John McBurney. These include the families of Debra-Anne Cartwright, Olive Hawkes, Julia Hughes, Philomena Skelton, Samantha McFarland, Alan Radford, Lorraine Wilson, who were all killed in the massacre, as well as several other people who were injured. He told the inquiry: 'It is important that we always keep in focus that it was republican terrorists under the name Real IRA who planned and planted the Omagh bomb. They alone are responsible for the loss and hurt caused by it. 'On hearing the accounts of so many at the commemorative hearings, it beggars all belief as to what else was intended other than murderous carnage by leaving a bomb in a peaceful town's main street on a busy sunny Saturday afternoon where so many innocent women, children and men were likely to be. 'The preventability of the murders and injuries was at all times within the absolute control of the Real IRA.' He added: 'Our clients are of the clear belief that whatever aspects of preventability may lie at the door of the UK state authorities, blame, to a greater or lesser extent, rests with the state authorities in the Republic of Ireland. 'Our clients again renew their call for a parallel inquiry to be immediately established by the Government of the Republic of Ireland, a call that they should not be required to repeat. 'Our clients remain greatly disappointed at the lack of any commitment of the authorities in the Republic of Ireland to meaningfully assist this inquiry. 'They regard the memorandum of understanding, agreed with the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Ireland as wholly unsatisfactory. 'Our clients wish to use this inquiry to heap shame on the Government of the Republic of Ireland for their failures.' Mr Kane said there was a 'moral, human and legal imperative' on the Dublin Government to set up its own inquiry. He said: 'As a country with a professed European inclination, it is extremely regrettable that the Republic of Ireland continues to be in breach of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights in failing to ensure there has ever been any effective investigation into the death of the people to whom they owe that duty. 'There are preventability issues which clearly arise from the territorial origin of the Omagh bomb, and the cowardly refuge which its perpetrators enjoyed within the boundaries of the Republic of Ireland.' The barrister said his clients had likened the work of the public inquiry to an MOT vehicle test. He said: 'To their disbelief, they are told only the engine can be inspected, all that exists beyond the engine, including the body, the suspension, the brakes, the contents of the boot, cannot be examined. 'Such an MOT would clearly be unfit for purpose. 'This inquiry can only examine the parts of the car made in the UK as it were, the preventability, it cannot examine the rest of the car where the terrorists sat, or the boot area where the deadly bomb was hidden. 'If this inquiry could examine the whole car then it would also be able to examine any preventability issues which fall on the Republic of Ireland state authorities and all the faults and defects in the vehicle could be identified.' The barrister referred to comments from former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern that no stone would be left unturned to bring those responsible for the 1998 atrocity to justice. He said: 'That is a promise which has significance only for the ignoring and disregarding of it which has taken place over the almost 27 years which has passed since the Omagh bombing.' Mr Kane added: 'I have the authority of those I represent to say they are sick and tired of platitudes, false assurances, broken promises and grand but empty words from the state authorities of the Republic of Ireland. 'Their resolute refusal to institute a parallel inquiry and their ongoing failure to provide real and meaningful cooperation with this inquiry speaks far louder than their words.' The barrister referred to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreed between the inquiry and the Irish Government to allow access to material held in Dublin. Mr Kane said the MOU is 'redundant' due to the terms of how it was drafted. He said: 'First because the assessment of relevance is in the power of the Republic of Ireland, secondly because it only relates to relevance concerning preventability by the UK state authorities. 'This is an unacceptable yet significant escape clause for the Republic of Ireland. 'Under the memorandum the Republic of Ireland state authorities, and therefore any information which reflects badly on them, could be determined by them to be irrelevant.' He added: 'This voluntary statement of participation by the Government of the Republic of Ireland lacks any degree of real commitment and does nothing to give our clients any degree of confidence in it.'
BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Omagh victims intend to use public inquiry to ‘heap shame' on Irish Government
Victims of the Omagh bombing intend to use a public inquiry to 'heap shame' on the Irish Government for its failings over the atrocity, a barrister has said. The inquiry also heard that victims are 'sick and tired of platitudes, false assurances and broken promises' from Dublin over the bombing. Advertisement The Omagh Bombing Inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, is hearing opening statements from core participants. On Tuesday the focus moved to statements from the legal representatives of bereaved families. The hearing room at the Silverbirch Hotel in Omagh, Co Tyrone (Liam McBurney/PA) The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities. Barrister Alan Kane KC delivered a statement on behalf of the families of Omagh victims represented by solicitor John McBurney. Advertisement These include the families of Debra-Anne Cartwright, Olive Hawkes, Julia Hughes, Philomena Skelton, Samantha McFarland, Alan Radford, Lorraine Wilson, who were all killed in the massacre, as well as several other people who were injured. He told the inquiry: 'It is important that we always keep in focus that it was republican terrorists under the name Real IRA who planned and planted the Omagh bomb. They alone are responsible for the loss and hurt caused by it. 'On hearing the accounts of so many at the commemorative hearings, it beggars all belief as to what else was intended other than murderous carnage by leaving a bomb in a peaceful town's main street on a busy sunny Saturday afternoon where so many innocent women, children and men were likely to be. 'The preventability of the murders and injuries was at all times within the absolute control of the Real IRA.' Advertisement He added: 'Our clients are of the clear belief that whatever aspects of preventability may lie at the door of the UK state authorities, blame, to a greater or lesser extent, rests with the state authorities in the Republic of Ireland. 'Our clients again renew their call for a parallel inquiry to be immediately established by the Government of the Republic of Ireland, a call that they should not be required to repeat. 'Our clients remain greatly disappointed at the lack of any commitment of the authorities in the Republic of Ireland to meaningfully assist this inquiry. 'They regard the memorandum of understanding, agreed with the Minister of Justice of the Republic of Ireland as wholly unsatisfactory. Advertisement 'Our clients wish to use this inquiry to heap shame on the Government of the Republic of Ireland for their failures.' Mr Kane said there was a 'moral, human and legal imperative' on the Dublin Government to set up its own inquiry. He said: 'As a country with a professed European inclination, it is extremely regrettable that the Republic of Ireland continues to be in breach of Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights in failing to ensure there has ever been any effective investigation into the death of the people to whom they owe that duty. 'There are preventability issues which clearly arise from the territorial origin of the Omagh bomb, and the cowardly refuge which its perpetrators enjoyed within the boundaries of the Republic of Ireland.' Advertisement The barrister said his clients had likened the work of the public inquiry to an MOT vehicle test. Solicitor John McBurney, arrives at the Silverbirch Hotel in Omagh for the Omagh Bombing Inquiry (Liam McBurney/PA) He said: 'To their disbelief, they are told only the engine can be inspected, all that exists beyond the engine, including the body, the suspension, the brakes, the contents of the boot, cannot be examined. 'Such an MOT would clearly be unfit for purpose. 'This inquiry can only examine the parts of the car made in the UK as it were, the preventability, it cannot examine the rest of the car where the terrorists sat, or the boot area where the deadly bomb was hidden. 'If this inquiry could examine the whole car then it would also be able to examine any preventability issues which fall on the Republic of Ireland state authorities and all the faults and defects in the vehicle could be identified.' The barrister referred to comments from former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern that no stone would be left unturned to bring those responsible for the 1998 atrocity to justice. He said: 'That is a promise which has significance only for the ignoring and disregarding of it which has taken place over the almost 27 years which has passed since the Omagh bombing.' Mr Kane added: 'I have the authority of those I represent to say they are sick and tired of platitudes, false assurances, broken promises and grand but empty words from the state authorities of the Republic of Ireland. 'Their resolute refusal to institute a parallel inquiry and their ongoing failure to provide real and meaningful cooperation with this inquiry speaks far louder than their words.' The Omagh bombing devastated the centre of Omagh in 1998 (Paul McErlane/PA) The barrister referred to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) agreed between the inquiry and the Irish Government to allow access to material held in Dublin. Mr Kane said the MOU is 'redundant' due to the terms of how it was drafted. He said: 'First because the assessment of relevance is in the power of the Republic of Ireland, secondly because it only relates to relevance concerning preventability by the UK state authorities. 'This is an unacceptable yet significant escape clause for the Republic of Ireland. 'Under the memorandum the Republic of Ireland state authorities, and therefore any information which reflects badly on them, could be determined by them to be irrelevant.' He added: 'This voluntary statement of participation by the Government of the Republic of Ireland lacks any degree of real commitment and does nothing to give our clients any degree of confidence in it.'
The Independent
25-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Report calls for focus on law enforcement and tackling roots of paramilitarism
A 'twin track' process of law enforcement and tackling the roots of paramilitarism is needed in Northern Ireland, as well as a 'group transition' process for them to leave the stage, a report has said. The Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) has reiterated its call to the UK and Irish governments to appoint an independent person to scope out what a formal process of engagement and group transition might look like. It has also called on police in Northern Ireland to 'call out' when there is paramilitary group involvement in crime. The calls come in the IRC's seventh report following what it has termed a 'mixed year' in the region, with a decease in shootings and paramilitary-style assaults, but 'concerning levels of intimidation, coercive control and threats'. The body – led by commissioners John McBurney, Monica McWilliams, Tim O'Connor and Mitchell Reiss – was established in 2017 to report annually on progress towards ending paramilitary activity in the region. It is governed by an international treaty between the UK and Irish governments which reflected the terms of the Fresh Start Agreement concluded by the two governments and the Northern Ireland parties in 2015. In a statement following the seventh report, the commissioners described 'shifting dynamics' within both republican and loyalist paramilitary groups. They said: 'There has been a decrease in shooting incidents and paramilitary-style assaults. However, bombing incidents and casualties from paramilitary-style shootings have remained consistent with previous years. 'Intimidation, coercive control and threats linked to paramilitary groups persist and remain a real concern. 'In 2024, we have seen shifting dynamics within both republican and loyalist paramilitary groups, including changes in leadership, reported splits, speculation about possible feuds, ongoing questions about whether actions were sanctioned by paramilitary leaders, various interpretations of larger gatherings of people and increasing interactions with organised crime. 'We understand that this can be challenging for the PSNI and others in attributing responsibility for, or involvement in, certain actions. However, where there is paramilitary involvement, this must be called out and the harm it causes has to be named.' The commissioners have also emphasised the need for a 'twin track' approach of tackling paramilitarism as well as a formal process of group transition. They said: 'Track one comprises a robust and targeted set of law enforcement measures addressing paramilitarism, coupled with an effective wider criminal justice response. 'Track two involves a comprehensive tackling of the deep-rooted socio-economic conditions which are linked to the continuing existence of paramilitarism today. 'Both tracks, which are inter-related, are vital in the task of tackling and ending paramilitarism. 'Our report advocates for a third dimension to complement the twin-track approach: an agreed formal process of group transition, involving direct engagement with the paramilitary groups themselves, in order to bring about their ending.' The commissioners have called for the UK and Irish governments to appoint an independent person to 'prepare the ground' for a group transition process. 'We welcome the progress being made by the two governments towards implementing our recommendation to appoint an independent person who would scope out what a possible formal process of engagement and group transition might look like,' they said. The commissioners also welcomed the focus on paramilitarism in the new draft Programme for Government of the Northern Ireland Executive. They said: 'We strongly recommend that some of the targeted paramilitary-focused work which the programme has been responsible for should continue beyond 2027, while also ensuring that consideration is given to those elements of the work of tackling paramilitarism that could be integrated into mainstream policies.' The IRC's report includes three recommendations. These are a call for the review of the membership of the sponsor group which oversees the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime and that the Executive ensures a 'whole-of-government' approach. They have also recommended that paramilitary-focused work needs to continue beyond March 2027 when the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime is due to end.
