Bertie Ahern has said he hopes the inquiry into the Omagh bombing will answer the questions needed by those who lost loved ones in the attack. 

29 people, including a woman pregnant with twins, died when the Real IRA bomb exploded in 1998. 

A British inquiry into the deadly event is expected to last a number of months. 

Former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern hopes officials hope they can uncover how the bomb made it to the market town without being intercepted. 

“You know, I think that families just want to find out, could it have been avoided - was there something that could have happened?” he told Newstalk. 

“There was a huge amount of intelligence by the Irish Guards and the security forces generally - north and south; MI5 and MI6 were deeply involved. 

“Whether someone lost the tracking, whether they didn’t act on it, I don’t know but hopefully some light can be thrown on it.” 

The aftermath of the Omagh bombing, © PA Wire/PA Images

Mr Ahern added that officials were well aware that the Real IRA posed a threat to public safety and the peace process. 

“It was also believed at the time that they were able to track these issues by phones and by car regs and all kinds of other ways,” he said. 

“They had a fair amount of intelligence on the Real IRA at the time - I think there’s no doubt about that. 

“Now, had they that day? Did they lose? Why was it lost? They’re the questions that hopefully will be answered in the months ahead.” 

In addition to the 29 fatalities, more than 200 people were injured when the car bomb exploded.

Main image: Police officers and firefighters inspecting the damage caused by a bomb explosion in Omagh. Picture by: PA Media.