Payment Scheme for Victims of the Troubles discussed at Westminster.
Jim Shannon MP has spoken up asking the under-Secretary of State for NI to intervene and ensure that the Payment Scheme for Victims of the Troubles begins to operate in Northern Ireland.
He said: “My colleagues raised the issue with the mechanism of an urgent question to highlight the fact the Sinn Fein are STILL stalling and refusing to allocate the administration which the Minister for Justice is happy to take care of.
“I used the opportunity to ask the question ‘Will the Minister outline exactly how he intends to operate the scheme, regardless of the machinations of Sinn Féin? How will he ensure that a scheme that is designated to acknowledge and support those who suffered innocently during the troubles is not used to traumatise them yet again through the despicable abuse of office by Sinn Féin? Will the Minister of State commit to take steps to rectify that abuse immediately”
“The response was clear. The minister has agreed that: “It is absolutely essential that we get on and deliver it in the interests of the victims. The last remaining hurdle is the issue of designation, which we need to make sure is crossed.
“It requires the Executive to reach an agreement, but I think it is very clear where the challenges to reaching the agreement lie. For too long, the Sinn Fein ministers have misused power to halt this and it is passed time that Government stepped in to ensure that the help and support that is needed and which this legislation was designed to meet the need of, is urgently done.
“As my colleague Sammy Wilson rightly pointed out on the floor of the House – the irony of Sinn Fein withholding funding from victims that some members have been accused of creating is scandalous and we will continue to pressure government to step in on this issue on the way that they have done in other issues.”
Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin has responded and said: “Sinn Féin remains committed to the provision of a victims’ payment based on need and the full implementation of the Stormont House Agreement in a human right compliant manner.
“The recent Westminster Regulations will potentially exclude thousands of victims from the Nationalist and Republican community from accessing the payment scheme.
“It does not make sense to designate a department to Lead on this scheme before all of the outstanding issues have been resolved in relation to eligibility criteria and the source of funding for the scheme, which could run for up to 30 years.
“By introducing a hierarchy of victimhood the British government is undermining attempts to heal the wounds of the past and promote a genuine reconciliation process.”
