It is a little over two weeks since the Omagh atrocity, since a street carnival was turned into a massacre, a ghastly relapse that joins and even surpasses the very worst tragedies of the last 30 years. - The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern
Those who organised and carried out this horrific act of violence have a stark choice. They can heed the will of the Irish people now and tell us that their violence is at an end for good. Or they can defy us to put them out of business. - Mr Ahern
The Omagh bombing was so evil in itself, so grievous in its human consequences and so crudely obvious in its timing and intention that it presents us all with a challenge of unique urgency and importance. - The Tanaiste, Ms Harney
. . . an act of fascism. - The Labour leader, Mr Ruairi Quinn
Why will the IRA not say the war is over? Why is the Irish Government afraid to ask them to say so? Why is the Government afraid of the answer it will get? - The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton