Gavin Robinson said:
“The views of the Omagh bomb victims’ families made known at the public inquiry today demands urgent reflection and a response from the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn.
The deep dissatisfaction with the memorandum of understanding between the UK and the Republic of Ireland is clear. The families regard it as wholly unsatisfactory, describing it as redundant and designed in a way that allows the Irish Government to act as judge and jury on matters that may reflect poorly on its own actions. The so-called cooperation agreement is effectively toothless, and provides a significant escape clause for the Republic of Ireland.
That is not justice. It is not transparency. And it certainly does not match the moral weight of the atrocity these families have endured for over 25 years.
It is therefore staggering that the Secretary of State, Hilary Benn, in evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on Monday evening, chose to extol the merits of this agreement as though it were robust and meaningful. The families have exposed the glaring failings in this process and rightly called out the scandalous evasion by the Republic of the role played across the border in the Omagh bombing.
Hilary Benn’s comments were completely out of step with the opinions of those families seeking truth and an insult to the families. They have waited too long, suffered too much, and deserve more than spin as they seek answers. The Secretary of State must reflect carefully on his remarks and apologise.”