State lax on help for Omagh relatives

THE TAOISEACH has admitted that some arms of the State are reluctant to assist the families of the victims of the Omagh bombing because of legal issues and complexities surrounding how information and help can be provided to them.

Bertie Ahern said in the Dáil: "I have asked everyone to co-operate as fully as possible to assist them. We know that they are not totally happy in regard to those issues, but at least I have tried as best I can to give them all the information and to explain the process to get into if we cannot give them the information directly."

He told Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny: "I have asked all the different arms of the State to co-operate. I confess there is a reluctance in some areas because of all kinds of complexities and legal issues as to how things can be given, but I do not propose to go into all of those."

A civil action against five men allegedly responsible for the atrocity began in the Belfast High Court on Monday.

Mr Kenny pointed out that the Supreme Court had "determined that the transcripts of the trials held here should be handed over as evidence or backup information in respect of this case".

He asked: "Can I take it that the resources of the State and whatever evidence is available to it in terms of the Garda, the transcripts and other documentation that may be available, will be provided to the victims of the Omagh bomb in respect of the civil case they're taking?" He asked if the Taoiseach "is happy that that will be so" and "will he commit himself to ensure it happens?"

Mr Ahern said that the case was "very important to them because it is very difficult, 10 years on from Omagh, for the families to get a process whereby somebody can be brought to justice . . . even if people are not brought to justice, that they can see that the matter is fully dealt with".