Editorial: Omagh bomb victims deserve more than half-measures from the Irish government

The destruction of 31 lives (including two unborn children) in the Omagh bombing of 1998 is patently not just a matter for the UK state alone.​

Yet that is effectively how it has been treated.

An inquiry, set up by the UK state, is currently under way, asking if the atrocity could have been prevented.

But, like countless other Troubles murders, the Omagh plot spanned the territories of both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

Back in 2021, senior judge Mr Justice Horner had all-but told the Irish state that it should be conducting a full inquiry of its own into the Omagh bloodbath.

An official summary of his ruling at Belfast High Court said: "While not within his power to order an investigation in the Republic of Ireland, the judge said there would be real advantage if one were to take place simultaneously with one in Northern Ireland."

That is not what we are getting.

Instead, what emerged this week was a "memorandum of understanding" drawn up between the Republic and the UK, setting out how the Dublin government intends to co-operate with the current UK inquiry.

Unionists have declared that this is just not good enough.

As to why, TUV MP Jim Allister said that the memorandum imposes "no legally binding obligations on Dublin" to actually co-operate.

Ireland, we should remember, is a state that has had the sheer nerve to sue the UK on legacy - yet the Labour government is letting it evade its responsibilities in this inquiry with a mere memorandum of understanding.

Limited co-operation from Dublin is better than nothing.

But those left living with the aftermath of this inhuman bombing should not have to settle for such half-measures.