Relatives of those murdered in the 1998 Omagh bombing have again pressed the British government for a formal cross-Border inquiry into the atrocity.
However the Northern Secretary, Mr Paul Murphy, told them he cannot announce such an inquiry until criminal investigations into the bombing are completed, they said.
Relatives, including Mr Michael Gallagher, whose son Aidan was one of the 29 killed in the "Real IRA" blast, met Mr Murphy at Stormont Castle yesterday for over two hours.
While they did not get the assurances they sought concerning an inquiry, Mr Gallagher said they were promised assistance in their attempt to get a meeting with Mr Tony Blair.
Mr Gallagher said the discussions were "robust", adding that the relatives "did most of the talking". He added that they would continue to press for answers to their questions about the conduct of the investigation from Mr Murphy and any of his successors.