Omagh bomb: Sinn Fein and SDLP welcome public inquiry but say Dublin must now also open up

West Tyrone MP Órfhlaith Begley of Sinn Fein said the campaign by the Omagh families for the full truth about the bombing had taken a big step forward.

The High Court ruling on the question of a public inquiry "was clear in July 2021 on the need for investigations north and south," she said. "This ruling must be respected.“Sinn Féin fully supports the demand of the families of the victims of the 1998 Omagh Bomb for a full cross-border public inquiry.But she added that the announcement of an inquiry also points up "the sheer folly" of the UK’s "cruel and callous" Legacy Bill, which she claimed is about "denying families access to the courts and due process".

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan said he had written confirmation from former Taoiseach Micheál Martin last month that the Irish Government would review its approach on Omagh if such an inquiry was called by the UK."I am delighted for the families that they now have a path to the truth which is what so many of them have been campaigning for," Mr McCrossan said.“I hope that this announcement will spur similar action from the Irish Government. The High Court judgment in 2021 clearly outlined the need for a cooperative investigation given the cross border nature of this atrocity and I was pleased to receive confirmation from former Taoiseach Micheál Martin that the Irish Government would review its approach to the case late last year."Micheál Martin TD, Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs welcomed the inquiry and said they would seek more detail before making any decisions.“The announcement by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Chris Heaton-Harris is welcome," he said. "I spoke with him last evening and he confirmed his intention to make today’s statement to me.“We now await further detail from the UK Government, in particular on the Terms of Reference for their inquiry.“I look forward to receiving that detail and then consulting with my Cabinet colleagues, in particular the Minister for Justice, about the next steps."