Concern voiced as next phase of Omagh Bombing Inquiry hearings delayed
The next public hearings, due to start on March 9 2026, have been delayed around issues of disclosure of evidence.
Concern has been expressed at the postponement of the next phase of hearings at the Omagh Bombing Inquiry over the disclosure of evidence.
Public hearings delving into the days immediately before the 1998 atrocity in the Co Tyrone town were due to start on March 9 2026.
The car used in the Real IRA bomb attack was stolen in the Irish Republic and driven across the border on August 15 before the blast which killed 29 people, including a woman who was pregnant with twins.
The inquiry, chaired by Lord Turnbull, was set up by the previous government, following a number of legal challenges brought by campaigners, to examine whether the explosion could have been prevented by the UK authorities.
The Irish Government has been criticised for not establishing its own public inquiry in terms of the bombers’ movements south of the border.
It has committed to co-operate, including signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the inquiry to allow it to access material held by the Irish State.
The first chapter public hearings at the inquiry started in January with statements from the families of those killed and first responders.
The second chapter took place in April and heard opening statements from core participants, which included the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
On Tuesday, the inquiry announced that the chapter three hearings will be postponed.
In a statement, the inquiry said: “The difficult decision to postpone the hearings has been based on a range of factors, including the scale and complexity of the disclosure of evidence.
“It is expected that the new dates for chapter three hearings will be confirmed in early 2026.”
Michael Gallagher, whose son Aiden was among those killed in the dissident attack, expressed concern.
He said he will be asking questions, adding he suspects a number of bodies involved in the delayed disclosure.
“We have waited 27 years for this inquiry, and we don’t want this to be unnecessarily delayed,” he said.
“I will be certainly asking my solicitor to ask questions of the inquiry as to how many organisations are delaying the disclosure.”
Meanwhile, the Irish Justice Minister said he had been given approval for the priority drafting of a Bill to allow Irish police and other officials to give oral testimony to the inquiry.
Jim O’Callaghan’s department said work was under way “immediately” with a view for the Bill to be in place by the evidential hearings.
It would allow for the inquiry to make requests to certain Irish state bodies for the delivery of sworn testimony in front of a judge of the Irish High Court, in which the inquiry could ask questions and core participants could be present.
However, the requests can be denied to protect the security and sovereignty of the Republic of Ireland, as well as to prevent prejudice to criminal investigations or the protection of life.
