Executive in funding talks over Troubles pension plan
DISCUSSIONS with Westminster about the funding of a compensation scheme for people injured in the Troubles are ongoing, Arlene Foster has said.
After the Victims’ Payment Scheme was given the green light in London last year, Stormont Finance Minister Conor Murphy said it should be paid for by Westminster.
However, a spokesman for the Government said Northern Ireland Secretary of State Brandon Lewis believed Stormont was adequately funded to deliver on commitments, including the compensation scheme.
The First Minister assured victims payments would be made.
“There is a legal requirement on us as an Executive to pay that and therefore we will meet that legal requirement when the scheme opens. We hope the scheme will open in March,” she told an Executive press conference in Dungannon yesterday.
“There is a discussion between ourselves and the UK Government about funding for that, but I just want to say to all of the victims not to concern themselves around that.
“We have a legal duty (and) we recognise that legal duty.
Now, it is up to us to make sure that the funding is in place from the appropriate source to deal with that.”
Deputy First Minister Michele O’neill added: “I regret the fact that victims again have been used this week.
“I believe some of the commentary from the British Secretary of State have been really unhelpful in that regard.
“The British Government committed to this pension and therefore they must also support the Executive in being able to pay for the pension because the Executive doesn’t have the ability to pay for it all by itself.”
The Victims’ Payment Scheme was designed to compensate people who were severely injured in the Troubles.
Recipients will receive between £2,000 and £10,000 a year for the rest of their lives, with applications due to open in March.
UUP MLA and vice-chair of the Executive Office Committee Doug Beattie said it was shameful that question marks still remained over funding.
“To continue with this public back-and-forth is not only completely unedifying, it’s also totally unfair to victims, who again find themselves at the centre of a row,” he added.