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Irish Examiner
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Irish Examiner
Omagh inquiry told pace of disclosure ‘must increase'
The speed of disclosure to the Omagh Bombing Inquiry 'must increase', counsel to the proceedings has said. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry, chaired by Andrew Turnbull, is hearing opening statements from core participants including representatives of bereaved families, victims, the PSNI, and the secretary of state for Northern Ireland. The Real IRA bomb in the County Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the British authorities. The opening statement section of the inquiry will take place over Monday and Tuesday. Earlier this year the inquiry heard personal statements from those affected by the massacre. Prior to the opening statements on Monday, Paul Greaney KC, counsel to the inquiry, told Mr Turnbull that the legal team had hoped that disclosure from relevant bodies would have been more advanced than it currently is. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the British authorities. Here, Paul Greaney arrives at court. He further argued that there would be value in having at least one hearing to discuss progress of disclosure in September or October. 'The understandable consequence of the level of disclosure to core participants is that the opening statements of the bereaved families and survivors cannot be as detailed or evidence focused as they would have wished,' he said. Noting that the next stage of the inquiry will commence in March, he said: 'That gap of nine months between Chapter Two and Chapter Three is unfortunate, in our view.' He added: 'The simple fact is that the speed of disclosure to the inquiry by material providers must increase, and that is why we repeat the need for the state core participants and indeed all material providers to work at pace to fulfil the requirements of the inquiry and to ensure that the necessary resources, both human and financial, are dedicated to that work.' Mr Greaney noted that many documents exist only in hard copy and – even when held digitally – may take time to review and be disclosed. He offered three further general observations on proceedings. Mr Greaney stressed that the inquiry was not constrained by any other previous proceeding, investigation or review in its eventual findings. That comment came in advance of the written submission on behalf of Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn which contained a reference to the judicial review which led to the formation of the inquiry. 'Preventable' At that time, a judge accepted that four of 10 grounds under consideration gave rise to a plausible argument that the bombing was preventable. Addressing concerns raised by survivors and victims that relevant documentation will be declared 'missing', Mr Greaney said any such claim 'will be subject to the most intense scrutiny by the inquiry', including demands around information on the search efforts and expectations of material being recovered. He added that the inquiry would use its powers to ensure the fullest possible levels of disclosure. On the subject of candour, Mr Greaney said the inquiry expects openness and transparency from state core participants He said state core participants have not made any such concessions in their written opening statements and reminded them that they would be subject to scrutiny. Fiona Fee KC, for the Northern Ireland secretary, told the inquiry that 'a significant volume of work' has been undertaken in relation to inquiry disclosure. 'To explain the scope of the efforts, it's crucial to understand the extent of the materials involved,' she said. 'There is a vast volume of material which must be collated, carefully reviewed and provided to the inquiry. This process is not simply a matter of gathering readily available paperwork, it's an immense logistical undertaking requiring meticulous attention to detail, thorough analysis and a strategic, organised approach. Ms Fee said the Northern Ireland Secretary had offered sincere condolences to all those who had suffered as a result of the 'horrific terrorist atrocity' at Omagh. A number of organisations fall under the remit of the NI secretary as a core participant, including the UK Intelligence Community (UKIC), the Ministry of Defence (MoD), the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), the Cabinet Office (CO) and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Ms Fee said the scale of the work involved in seeking information on the 31 historic incidents identified by the inquiry is 'extraordinary'. She noted that there will be variations on what is disclosed across the Secretary of State grouping, adding that there will 'inevitably' be material that cannot be disclosed in open but will still be provided to the inquiry chairman. In particular, she said there will only be a 'very limited amount' that UKIC can say in open. However, Ms Fee said the intelligence sector was 'engaging meaningfully' with the inquiry and undergoing 'an extremely difficult disclosure' exercise. She added that the Secretary of State grouping is not in a position to make an assessment on whether any concession is appropriate as the overall disclosure process and evidential picture is at 'an early stage'. 'The available information would result in an incomplete picture, and the risk of error is significant,' she said.
Belfast Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
Government approach to Omagh bomb hearing ‘risks undermining public confidence'
Counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney KC told a hearing in Belfast that it was 'highly unfortunate' that legal papers relating to the redaction of names were received on the evening before the public session. Mr Greaney also said that as the hearings related to transparency, he would have thought the Government 'would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair'. The hearing was told that applications from the Government and the PSNI to redact names of junior civil servants and bombing suspects from documents released to core participants in the inquiry is 'putting a brake' on its work. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, is holding procedural hearings in Belfast which relate to submissions to redact information from materials. The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities. Earlier this year the inquiry heard personal statements from those affected by the massacre. On Wednesday, Mr Greaney said there were two issues which the latest hearings would deal with. The first relates to a Government submission that the names of junior civil servants should be redacted from documents they provide before they are released to core participants. The second relates to a PSNI application to redact the names of suspects who have not been charged from documents. The barrister said the inquiry would see the documents in unredacted form but the issue was whether they should be redacted before they are given to core participants. Core participants in the inquiry include the families of those who were killed in the bombing as well as multiple people who were injured. He said the issue of whether the names would be disclosed unredacted during oral evidence hearings would be dealt with at a future point. He said: 'The current position of HMG (His Majesty's Government) and PSNI is putting a brake on the work of disclosure of the inquiry.' Setting out the background, Mr Greaney said the inquiry legal team had written earlier this year to the Government, asking it to make any applications for redaction by March 14. He said: 'Even at that early stage, in March of this year, as many as 80 documents were having to be withheld from disclosure.' The barrister said the Government made an initial application on March 31, then withdrew it and made a revised application for redactions of the names of junior civil servants on April 15. He said the inquiry's legal team proceeded on the basis that this was the Government's position. Mr Greaney added: 'It was therefore with considerable surprise and some frustration that at 4pm on 20th May, so yesterday and therefore the day before the hearing was scheduled to start, and moreover in circumstances in which we suggest it ought to have been anticipated that members of the inquiry legal team and the chairman and indeed core participants and their representatives would be travelling to Belfast, in those circumstances a skeleton argument was emailed to the inquiry legal team by the Crown Solicitor's Office on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office. 'The inquiry legal team regard the unexpected service of a skeleton argument at such a late stage as highly unfortunate.' He added: 'This inquiry is about whether the Omagh bombing could have been prevented by UK state authorities. It is also notable this hearing concerns issues that could be described as ones involving transparency. 'It might be thought that HMG would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair. 'It seems to the inquiry legal team a risk that the approach taken by HMG to this hearing will undermine public confidence in HMG's approach to this inquiry.' The barrister said there had seemed to be 'a chaotic rush to provide materials at the very last minute'. Lord Turnbull will hear legal submissions from a number of interested parties on Wednesday and Thursday.
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
Government approach to Omagh bomb hearing ‘risks undermining public confidence'
Counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney KC told a hearing in Belfast that it was 'highly unfortunate' that legal papers relating to the redaction of names were received on the evening before the public session. Mr Greaney also said that as the hearings related to transparency, he would have thought the Government 'would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair'. The hearing was told that applications from the Government and the PSNI to redact names of junior civil servants and bombing suspects from documents released to core participants in the inquiry is 'putting a brake' on its work. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, is holding procedural hearings in Belfast which relate to submissions to redact information from materials. The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities. Earlier this year the inquiry heard personal statements from those affected by the massacre. On Wednesday, Mr Greaney said there were two issues which the latest hearings would deal with. The first relates to a Government submission that the names of junior civil servants should be redacted from documents they provide before they are released to core participants. The second relates to a PSNI application to redact the names of suspects who have not been charged from documents. The barrister said the inquiry would see the documents in unredacted form but the issue was whether they should be redacted before they are given to core participants. Core participants in the inquiry include the families of those who were killed in the bombing as well as multiple people who were injured. He said the issue of whether the names would be disclosed unredacted during oral evidence hearings would be dealt with at a future point. He said: 'The current position of HMG (His Majesty's Government) and PSNI is putting a brake on the work of disclosure of the inquiry.' Setting out the background, Mr Greaney said the inquiry legal team had written earlier this year to the Government, asking it to make any applications for redaction by March 14. He said: 'Even at that early stage, in March of this year, as many as 80 documents were having to be withheld from disclosure.' The barrister said the Government made an initial application on March 31, then withdrew it and made a revised application for redactions of the names of junior civil servants on April 15. He said the inquiry's legal team proceeded on the basis that this was the Government's position. Mr Greaney added: 'It was therefore with considerable surprise and some frustration that at 4pm on 20th May, so yesterday and therefore the day before the hearing was scheduled to start, and moreover in circumstances in which we suggest it ought to have been anticipated that members of the inquiry legal team and the chairman and indeed core participants and their representatives would be travelling to Belfast, in those circumstances a skeleton argument was emailed to the inquiry legal team by the Crown Solicitor's Office on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office. 'The inquiry legal team regard the unexpected service of a skeleton argument at such a late stage as highly unfortunate.' He added: 'This inquiry is about whether the Omagh bombing could have been prevented by UK state authorities. It is also notable this hearing concerns issues that could be described as ones involving transparency. 'It might be thought that HMG would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair. 'It seems to the inquiry legal team a risk that the approach taken by HMG to this hearing will undermine public confidence in HMG's approach to this inquiry.' The barrister said there had seemed to be 'a chaotic rush to provide materials at the very last minute'. Later, Lord Turnbull addressed Fiona Fee, senior counsel at the inquiry for Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn. He said he had been disappointed to receive written notes from her as he was boarding a plane to Belfast the previous evening. Lord Turnbull added: 'I should imagine you only instructed to prepare that note very recently and, if so, I would like to say that disappoints me in respect of the level of engagement with the inquiry which it implies. 'We are likely to be spending a significant amount of our professional lives in each other's company and I would hope we could do so in a harmonious, constructive and mutually respective manner. 'But it does seem to me those aspirations are unlikely to be easily achieved if core participants, or their representatives, engage with the inquiry in a manner which appears to demonstrate a lack of prioritisation or allows an impression to be gained of a disrespectful or a disorganised attitude towards the work of the inquiry.' Ms Fee said no discourtesy to the inquiry had been intended and it had been hoped the written note would assist its work. She said: 'We are genuinely dismayed that the service of the document has caused consternation and the fact that our attempts have had the opposite effect to that which was intended, and hoped for, is a matter for real and sincere regret and is taken extremely seriously.' The inquiry also heard submissions from a barrister for the PSNI. It will later hear submissions from legal representatives of the office of the Police Ombudsman, bereaved families and media organisations.
North Wales Chronicle
21-05-2025
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Government approach to Omagh bomb hearing ‘risks undermining public confidence'
Counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney KC told a hearing in Belfast that it was 'highly unfortunate' that legal papers relating to the redaction of names were received on the evening before the public session. Mr Greaney also said that as the hearings related to transparency, he would have thought the Government 'would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair'. The hearing was told that applications from the Government and the PSNI to redact names of junior civil servants and bombing suspects from documents released to core participants in the inquiry is 'putting a brake' on its work. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, is holding procedural hearings in Belfast which relate to submissions to redact information from materials. The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities. Earlier this year the inquiry heard personal statements from those affected by the massacre. On Wednesday, Mr Greaney said there were two issues which the latest hearings would deal with. The first relates to a Government submission that the names of junior civil servants should be redacted from documents they provide before they are released to core participants. The second relates to a PSNI application to redact the names of suspects who have not been charged from documents. The barrister said the inquiry would see the documents in unredacted form but the issue was whether they should be redacted before they are given to core participants. Core participants in the inquiry include the families of those who were killed in the bombing as well as multiple people who were injured. He said the issue of whether the names would be disclosed unredacted during oral evidence hearings would be dealt with at a future point. He said: 'The current position of HMG (His Majesty's Government) and PSNI is putting a brake on the work of disclosure of the inquiry.' Setting out the background, Mr Greaney said the inquiry legal team had written earlier this year to the Government, asking it to make any applications for redaction by March 14. He said: 'Even at that early stage, in March of this year, as many as 80 documents were having to be withheld from disclosure.' The barrister said the Government made an initial application on March 31, then withdrew it and made a revised application for redactions of the names of junior civil servants on April 15. He said the inquiry's legal team proceeded on the basis that this was the Government's position. Mr Greaney added: 'It was therefore with considerable surprise and some frustration that at 4pm on 20th May, so yesterday and therefore the day before the hearing was scheduled to start, and moreover in circumstances in which we suggest it ought to have been anticipated that members of the inquiry legal team and the chairman and indeed core participants and their representatives would be travelling to Belfast, in those circumstances a skeleton argument was emailed to the inquiry legal team by the Crown Solicitor's Office on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office. 'The inquiry legal team regard the unexpected service of a skeleton argument at such a late stage as highly unfortunate.' He added: 'This inquiry is about whether the Omagh bombing could have been prevented by UK state authorities. It is also notable this hearing concerns issues that could be described as ones involving transparency. 'It might be thought that HMG would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair. 'It seems to the inquiry legal team a risk that the approach taken by HMG to this hearing will undermine public confidence in HMG's approach to this inquiry.' The barrister said there had seemed to be 'a chaotic rush to provide materials at the very last minute'. Later, Lord Turnbull addressed Fiona Fee, senior counsel at the inquiry for Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn. He said he had been disappointed to receive written notes from her as he was boarding a plane to Belfast the previous evening. Lord Turnbull added: 'I should imagine you only instructed to prepare that note very recently and, if so, I would like to say that disappoints me in respect of the level of engagement with the inquiry which it implies. 'We are likely to be spending a significant amount of our professional lives in each other's company and I would hope we could do so in a harmonious, constructive and mutually respective manner. 'But it does seem to me those aspirations are unlikely to be easily achieved if core participants, or their representatives, engage with the inquiry in a manner which appears to demonstrate a lack of prioritisation or allows an impression to be gained of a disrespectful or a disorganised attitude towards the work of the inquiry.' Ms Fee said no discourtesy to the inquiry had been intended and it had been hoped the written note would assist its work. She said: 'We are genuinely dismayed that the service of the document has caused consternation and the fact that our attempts have had the opposite effect to that which was intended, and hoped for, is a matter for real and sincere regret and is taken extremely seriously.' The inquiry also heard submissions from a barrister for the PSNI. It will later hear submissions from legal representatives of the office of the Police Ombudsman, bereaved families and media organisations.
Western Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Government approach to Omagh bomb hearing ‘risks undermining public confidence'
Counsel to the inquiry Paul Greaney KC told a hearing in Belfast that it was 'highly unfortunate' that legal papers relating to the redaction of names were received on the evening before the public session. Mr Greaney also said that as the hearings related to transparency, he would have thought the Government 'would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair'. Chairman of the Omagh Bombing Inquiry Lord Turnbull (Liam McBurney/PA) The hearing was told that applications from the Government and the PSNI to redact names of junior civil servants and bombing suspects from documents released to core participants in the inquiry is 'putting a brake' on its work. The Omagh Bombing Inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, is holding procedural hearings in Belfast which relate to submissions to redact information from materials. The Real IRA bomb in the Co Tyrone town in August 1998 killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins, in the worst single atrocity in the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The public inquiry was set up by the previous government to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities. Earlier this year the inquiry heard personal statements from those affected by the massacre. On Wednesday, Mr Greaney said there were two issues which the latest hearings would deal with. The first relates to a Government submission that the names of junior civil servants should be redacted from documents they provide before they are released to core participants. The second relates to a PSNI application to redact the names of suspects who have not been charged from documents. The current position of HMG (His Majesty's Government) and PSNI is putting a brake on the work of disclosure of the inquiry Paul Greaney KC The barrister said the inquiry would see the documents in unredacted form but the issue was whether they should be redacted before they are given to core participants. Core participants in the inquiry include the families of those who were killed in the bombing as well as multiple people who were injured. He said the issue of whether the names would be disclosed unredacted during oral evidence hearings would be dealt with at a future point. He said: 'The current position of HMG (His Majesty's Government) and PSNI is putting a brake on the work of disclosure of the inquiry.' Setting out the background, Mr Greaney said the inquiry legal team had written earlier this year to the Government, asking it to make any applications for redaction by March 14. He said: 'Even at that early stage, in March of this year, as many as 80 documents were having to be withheld from disclosure.' The barrister said the Government made an initial application on March 31, then withdrew it and made a revised application for redactions of the names of junior civil servants on April 15. The Omagh Bombing killed 29 people, including the mother of unborn twins (Paul McErlane/PA) He said the inquiry's legal team proceeded on the basis that this was the Government's position. Mr Greaney added: 'It was therefore with considerable surprise and some frustration that at 4pm on 20th May, so yesterday and therefore the day before the hearing was scheduled to start, and moreover in circumstances in which we suggest it ought to have been anticipated that members of the inquiry legal team and the chairman and indeed core participants and their representatives would be travelling to Belfast, in those circumstances a skeleton argument was emailed to the inquiry legal team by the Crown Solicitor's Office on behalf of the Northern Ireland Office. 'The inquiry legal team regard the unexpected service of a skeleton argument at such a late stage as highly unfortunate.' He added: 'This inquiry is about whether the Omagh bombing could have been prevented by UK state authorities. It is also notable this hearing concerns issues that could be described as ones involving transparency. 'It might be thought that HMG would have been scrupulous to avoid the impression that it was behaving in a way that was procedurally unhelpful and possibly even unfair. 'It seems to the inquiry legal team a risk that the approach taken by HMG to this hearing will undermine public confidence in HMG's approach to this inquiry.' The barrister said there had seemed to be 'a chaotic rush to provide materials at the very last minute'. I should imagine you only instructed to prepare that note very recently and, if so, I would like to say that disappoints me in respect of the level of engagement with the inquiry which it implies. Lord Turnbull Later, Lord Turnbull addressed Fiona Fee, senior counsel at the inquiry for Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn. He said he had been disappointed to receive written notes from her as he was boarding a plane to Belfast the previous evening. Lord Turnbull added: 'I should imagine you only instructed to prepare that note very recently and, if so, I would like to say that disappoints me in respect of the level of engagement with the inquiry which it implies. 'We are likely to be spending a significant amount of our professional lives in each other's company and I would hope we could do so in a harmonious, constructive and mutually respective manner. 'But it does seem to me those aspirations are unlikely to be easily achieved if core participants, or their representatives, engage with the inquiry in a manner which appears to demonstrate a lack of prioritisation or allows an impression to be gained of a disrespectful or a disorganised attitude towards the work of the inquiry.' Ms Fee said no discourtesy to the inquiry had been intended and it had been hoped the written note would assist its work. She said: 'We are genuinely dismayed that the service of the document has caused consternation and the fact that our attempts have had the opposite effect to that which was intended, and hoped for, is a matter for real and sincere regret and is taken extremely seriously.' The inquiry also heard submissions from a barrister for the PSNI. It will later hear submissions from legal representatives of the office of the Police Ombudsman, bereaved families and media organisations.
