SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan has said that the Irish Government cannot be found wanting when it comes to the Omagh bombing inquiry.
Mr McCrossan has written to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste asking them to engage fully with the British Government’s public inquiry and to outline discussions between the two governments.
He said the Irish Government should carry out its own public inquiry, as outlined by Mr Justice Mark Horner.
Mr McCrossan said:
“Twenty-five years on from the Omagh bombing it’s imperative that families finally get the truth and justice for their loved ones that they have been fighting for all these years. The recommendations by Mr Justice Horner for public inquiries on both sides of the border presented families with real hope that they would finally get the answers they seek and the Irish Government cannot allow themselves to be found wanting.
“Following the judge’s findings the Irish Government were clear that they would do everything they can to support the British Government’s inquiry and pledged to fully investigate any aspect of the bombing that may have occurred in the South. I have written to both Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Tánaiste Micheál Martin asking them to outline to me what progress has been made in the intervening months.
“The Irish Government cannot allow there to be any grey areas when it comes to a matter as serious as this. They must demonstrate publicly that they intend to live up to their commitments, cooperate with the British Government on their inquiry and hold a public inquiry of their own so that we can establish exactly what happened on this island in the lead up to and aftermath of the Omagh bombing. That is the least the Omagh families deserve and they will continue to have the full support of the SDLP as they fight for the truth and justice that has evaded them for so long.”