Secretary meets to discuss 1974 bombings inquiry

The Northern Ireland Secretary of State Dr John Reid has met the judge leading the inquiry into the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan bombings over delays in the provision of information.

Justice Henry Barron requested Wednesday’s meeting at 2.30 pm following criticism by a group of relatives of the 33 victims of the bombings, Justice for the Forgotten.

Relatives have accused the British government of procrastinating on fulfilling a request by Justice Barron for documents relating to his independent inquiry.

Previously, Dr Reid had said there is a huge amount of work involved in checking up to 68,000 Whitehall files. In March of 2001, Dr Reid indicated the search for files was nearly complete.

Pressure has been mounting on the British Government for information about the series of ‘no warnings’ bombs which claimed the lives of 33 people in Dublin and Monaghan in 1974 to be made public.

In a statement the relatives group said: “The [British Government’s] constant refrain since March 2001 has been that the process of searching old files is difficult and time-consuming and that ‘a single co-ordinated response’ will be made when the process is complete.

“The bereaved families and survivors believe this response to an atrocity that occurred in Tony Blair’s own backyard is profoundly inadequate in light of his strongly expressed commitment to the global fight against terrorism since the events of September 11.”

A motion, which will be heard next week in the NI Assembly, was put forward by Professor Monica McWilliams of the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition and Kieran McCarthy, Alliance Party, which calls on the British Government “to expedite its provisions of all relevant documents and files to the Independent Commission of Inquiry into the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings.” (AMcE)