Omagh bomb inquest is ruled out

Twenty-nine people died in the Omagh bombing in August 1998

The Irish government has ruled out a cross-border inquiry into the 1998 Omagh bombing until criminal proceedings have been completed.

The announcement was made after the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern met members of the Omagh Bomb Victims Group in Dundalk.

Earlier this year, County Armagh man Sean Hoey was the first person charged with murder in relation to the bombing.

Twenty-nine people died in the Real IRA attack on the County Tyrone town.

"The minister fully recognised the concerns of the families but he has consulted the Irish justice department on the issue and its advice was that any inquiry is inappropriate while criminal proceedings are pending," an Irish government spokesman said.

The victims' group had asked the Irish government to hold an inquiry into how the Royal Ulster Constabulary, Gardai and courts handled the case.