Public Inquiry

Omagh Bombing Inquiry

Status: Ongoing Chair: Lord Turnbull Established: Feb 2024 Commissioned by: Northern Ireland Office

Statutory inquiry into whether the 15 August 1998 Real IRA bombing in Omagh — which killed 29 people and unborn twins — could reasonably have been prevented, focusing on intelligence sharing between UK and Irish state bodies. Chapter 3 substantive …

Key facts

Duration (ongoing): 2 years, 5 months Total cost: £12.2m

Reports & milestones

Reports

No reports listed.

Timeline

02 Feb 2023 Inquiry announced The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland announced an independent statutory inquiry into the 1998 Omagh bombing. · Source
12 Jun 2023 Chair appointed Lord Turnbull was appointed as Chair of the inquiry. · Source
21 Feb 2024 Terms of Referenc… The UK Government published the inquiry's Terms of Reference. · Source
30 Jul 2024 First preliminary… The inquiry held its first preliminary hearing at the Strule Arts Centre, Omagh. · Source
28 Jan 2025 Commemorative hea… The inquiry began four weeks of commemorative and personal statement hearings, its first oral hearings. · Source
23 Jun 2025 Opening statement… The inquiry heard opening statements from core participants over two days; it stated these were not evidential hearings. · Source

Parliamentary activity

8 mentions since Jul 2016
3 questions
19 Jan 2026 Early Day Motion Anniversary of Teebane Murders
Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party)
22 Jul 2025 Early Day Motion 50th anniversary of the Blair Memorial Flute Band
Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party)
24 Apr 2025 Written Question Omagh Bombing Inquiry
Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee (Non-affiliated)
22 Apr 2025 Early Day Motion Omagh Bomb Inquiry
Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice)
10 Mar 2025 Written Question Omar Bombing Inquiry
Alex Burghart (Conservative)
View all 8 mentions →

Costs

Total: £12,206,267
Period Total Inquiry legal CP legal Source
Dec 2025 £2,744,491 £1,381,148 £824,955 link
Dec 2025 (cum.) £12,206,267 £5,916,145 £2,985,932 link
Sep 2025 £2,058,059 £1,043,390 £530,650 link
Jun 2025 £2,032,751 £939,573 £614,000 link
Mar 2025 £5,370,966 £2,552,034 £1,016,327 link