Pressure mounts on Dublin to hold Omagh bomb inquiry

AS the 27th anniversary of the Omagh bombing is marked today, it has emerged that legal action aiming to compel the Irish Government to hold its own public inquiry into the atrocity is due to take place at the start of November.

The proceedings are being brought by survivor Emmett Tunney from Fintona, and the family of 18-year-old Gareth Conway from Carrickmore, one of the youngest victims of the Real IRA attack.

Mr Tunney was among those who pulled the injured from the rubble on August 15, 1998, when a Real IRA car bomb tore through Market Street, killing 31 people and injuring hundreds.

While the UK Government’s inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, is already underway, those taking legal action say a southern investigation is equally essential.

In his affidavit, Mr Tunney argues that the State’s failure to establish an inquiry breaches his rights under Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which requires an ‘effective investigation’ into loss of life.

‘inconsistent decisions’

He points to allegations that authorities in the Republic failed to provide assistance that might have been expected, and warns of the risk of ‘inconsistent decisions’ if the UK and Irish investigations are not coordinated.

“The making of the bomb, its transportation to Omagh, and the theft of the car all happened south of the border,” Mr Tunney’s solicitor Patrick Roche said.

“Without a parallel inquiry in the Republic, we will never get the full picture.”

A key sticking point is that the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Dublin earlier this year is not legally binding – meaning Irish witnesses cannot be compelled to appear before Lord Turnbull’s inquiry.

For Gareth Conway’s family, a southern inquiry would not only offer answers but also recognition.

Their barrister Conor Cullen said, “The important point is that it would acknowledge their suffering and their fight for the truth… It would show to the families that the Irish State values their lives and their loss whether they live North or South of the border.

“We also have to remember that some of those who lost their lives were Irish citizens, so there is a cross-border element. It is vital, therefore, that the Irish Government shows that they are intent in complying with their obligations in relation to the Omagh bombing.”

The joint legal challenge will be heard in Dublin on November 4.