Relatives of the 33 people killed in the Dublin and Monaghan bombings emerged from a meeting with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern last night with heightened hopes of a new inquiry into the atrocity.
About 40 people spent an hour-and-a-half of talking to Mr Ahern about fresh allegations that British military and RUC personnel were involved in the atrocity 25 years ago.
The discussions in Dublin were the first since the time of the bombing between a sitting head of government and relatives of the dead, who were organised as pressure group Justice for the Forgotten.
Many years after the atrocity, loyalist terrorist group the Ulster Volunteer Force said it was responsible.
But last month the campaigners presented the Irish government and police with the new testimony of a former member of the security forces in Northern Ireland,alleging that RUC and British military intelligence personnel were involved.
Group spokesman Don Mullan - also a prominent figure in the Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign - said tonight's encounter had been emotional. But he added that it had brought the campaign a step closer towards winning a full tribunal of inquiry into the killings.
The government disclosed tonight that Dublin Victims' Commissioner John Wilson- a former Deputy Prime Minister - is currently preparing a report into how the group's needs could be met.
Mr Mullan said Mr Ahern had suggested that the campaign group set up a small working committee to engage with a committee from his own department to explore ways forward.
People have walked away tonight feeling that at least he is both listening and offering to work with them now to find closure to this tragedy in their lives, said Mr Mullan.
