International Co-operation (Omagh Bombing Inquiry) Bill 2026: Second Stage
Seanad Éireann — 2026-05-13
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Chris Andrews (SF), Labour Panel

We in Sinn Féin also support the Bill. The Omagh bombing inquiry was established by the Northern Secretary of State in February 2024 to investigate whether the bombing in the town of Omagh, County Tyrone, on 15 August 1998 could have been prevented by the British authorities. The Irish Government has rightly made commitments to assist with the inquiry and this Bill is to facilitate that assistance.
Sinn Féin has supported the demand of the families of the victims of the 1998 Omagh bombing for a full cross-Border public inquiry. The families deserve full transparency and full disclosure about the events which led to the killing of their loved ones. The Bill allows the authorities to take evidence from the Garda, Defence Forces personnel, civil servants and former Ministers to support the Omagh bombing inquiry. It sets procedures for requesting, giving and protecting such evidence. It provides judicial oversight and amends existing international co-operation law to facilitate this process. The mechanism provided for in the Bill is modelled on that contained in section 3 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 2019 for the taking of oral testimony from members of An Garda Síochána for the purposes of Troubles-related inquests.
National security limits could restrict disclosure because governments often protect intelligence sources and operations. While the Bill aims to support the Omagh inquiry, its consent-based approach means officials may decline to provide evidence and broad security claims could be used to justify withholding sensitive or potentially embarrassing information. In the past we have seen the British Government misuse a provision in relation to national security and fail to disclose information related to collusion. It is worth remembering that collusion between agents of the British state and loyalist paramilitaries was widespread and there has yet to be transparency on the part of the British state. The Irish Government should redouble its efforts to get full disclosure from the British Government on its illegal covert activities in Ireland. In particular, the British Government urgently needs to release all of the files on the Dublin-Monaghan bombs to Irish authorities, including material given to the Denton review, and to support a full truth recovery process. All victims and their loved ones deserve truth and justice and it is imperative that the Government plays its part in making that a reality. We support the Bill.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/seanad/2026-05-13/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:54:56+00:00
Sitting date: 2026-05-13