British funding for Omagh bombing civil action halted

BRITISH Government funding to help the Omagh families take civil action against those they believe were responsible for the Omagh bombing has been stopped following an action by Real IRA man Michael McKevitt.

The Northern Ireland High Court heard that Chancellor Charles Falconer accepted a judgment last month that he had overstepped his powers and the mechanism for providing £800,000 (€1.18 million) to help the civil action was unlawful.

At a resumed hearing Judge Mr Justice Coghlin was told by Bernard McCloskey QC that Mr Falconer accepted the judgment and acknowledged he must deal with the court’s concerns.

Mr McCloskey said Mr Falconer would do so by revoking his direction to the Legal Services Commission (LGC) - under which the money was paid - within 14 days. He also pledged the LSC would make no further payments to the families over the coming 14 days, said Mr McCloskey.

Sums in excess of £400,000 (€590,000) have already been handed over by the LSC to help pay for the legal preparation of the civil action. There was no suggestion money already paid would have to be returned or the remainder would not be paid eventually.

Mr Falconer will look at ways of introducing new legislation to legalise the payments to meet the judgment of the court, said Mr McCloskey.

He added: “That is going to require some reflection and may require some consultation and liaison with other government ministers.”

The action was started by convicted Real IRA man Michael McKevitt - who faces the civil action.

He challenged the legality of the British Government aiding the Omagh families financially while he was refused legal aid to contest their action.

McKevitt had initially been granted legal aid to fight the civil action but it was revoked after he was jailed in Ireland on Real IRA changes.

McKevitt, aged 54, from Blackrock, Co Louth, and four others - Seamus Daly, Seamus McKenna, Liam Campbell and Colm Murphy - are being sued for €20m by the Omagh families.