Omagh relatives to meet Cowen

Relatives of victims of the Omagh bombing are today meeting the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The group is to discuss with Brian Cowen recent allegations that the Government made a deal with the Real IRA in return for a ceasefire.

Michael Gallagher, spokesman for the group of relatives, said eight representatives were travelling to Dublin for the meeting at the minister’s department.

“Part of the discussion will be about media speculation that the Government were involved in talks with the Real IRA,” he said. “That will be a big part of our discussion.

“We’ve got very specific questions we are going to ask.”

The Government was alleged to have done a deal with the Real IRA group behind the Omagh bomb outrage to get a ceasefire by the terror group.

The allegation – said to centre on an agreement not to “harass” Real IRA members – was made in a Channel 4 News programme in October.

The programme also repeated charges about the extent of possibly vital information in the hands of the Garda Siochana ahead of the 1998 bomb attack on the Co Tyrone town, when 29 people died and more than 200 were injured.

The charges originated from John White, a currently suspended detective sergeant in the Garda Siochana.

Mr Gallagher said the group was also requesting information from a three-strong inquiry set up to investigate the bombing.

“They are due to report back very shortly,” said Mr Gallagher. “We will be asking them what the findings are, and whether they have an interim report.”

He said the group was angry at the time it had taken to set up today’s meeting.

“We’ve been asking for that meeting from as early as May,” he said. “This is typical of how the victims have been treated.

“We are pretty annoyed it has taken so long.”