A decision by the Irish Government not to hold a parallel public inquiry into the 1998 Omagh bombing will be kept under review, the Minister for Justice has said.
Speaking during a visit to Belfast for a cross border organised crime conference, Jim O'Callaghan reiterated the view that he does not believe there is a necessity for a separate inquiry, but there was a suggestion that position could change.
Minister O'Callaghan also said Irish Government efforts to assist a UK inquiry into the dissident republican attack will include facilitating witnesses from the Republic being able to give evidence, as well as the sharing of materials.
Relatives of the 29 people killed in the Real IRA attack, survivors and their legal teams have all said there needs to be parallel inquiry in the Republic with the powers to compel witnesses and access to documents.
Minister O'Callaghan said the Irish Government is in the final stages of concluding a Memorandum of Understanding with the UK inquiry team in respect of the provision of information and repeated a commitment to co-operate fully with that inquiry.
"Our assessment is that the best way to establish the truth as to what happened is for there to be one inquiry rather than two parallel inquiries," he said.
"I know that the, I suppose, the objective behind people who are calling for an inquiry in the Republic is to ensure there is compellability and to ensure that information is provided.
"We are fully committed to ensuring that witnesses can give evidence before the Omagh inquiry in Northern Ireland and that all relevant information is provided. So because of that I don't see the necessity of having parallel inquiries, but it is something that we will keep under review."
Garda Commissioner not contacted
Speaking at a press conference at the same event, Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said he has not been contacted by the UK inquiry team about being called as a witness.
The Commissioner was an RUC Chief Superintendent at the time of the attack and later rose through the ranks, finishing his policing career in Northern Ireland as Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI.
Lawyers acting for relatives of those killed and injured in the bombing have said it is essential for the inquiry to have access to garda intelligence material about the attack and the ability to question relevant witnesses.
"I am the Garda Commissioner and therefore am bound by the Department of Justice and the Minister has just spoken in terms of the Memorandum of Understanding that's being worked through," he said.
"But that has to be set against the backdrop, the very clear comments made by the Government in respect of support for the Omagh inquiry, so obviously this is a situation that is going to evolve over the coming weeks."
Minister O'Callaghan said he believes the Memorandum of Understanding should be agreed before the Omagh inquiry resumes hearings in June.
