Ford to meet Bloody Sunday relatives
ALLIANCE leader David Ford is to meet the Bloody Sunday families after describing the Saville Inquiry as "pointless".
The South Antrim MLA - tipped to become Northern Ireland's new Justice Minister in the coming weeks - made the comment in a leaked briefing note to the Liberal Democrats.
Mr Ford's intervention has been slammed by family members of those killed in the Londonderry atrocity and nationalist politicians.
However, the Alliance Party has confirmed that Mr Ford will travel to Londonderry later on Thursday to meet in person some of the families of Bloody Sunday victims.
Speaking earlier, Mr Ford admitted his remark made in the document - compiled in November - was "unfortunate and hastily written".
Fourteen people were killed in the city's Bogside area in January 1972 after violence broke out during a civil rights demonstration.
SDLP MP Mark Durkan criticised the Alliance leader for his comment.
He told the BBC: "One thing he doesn't know is the importance of the Saville Inquiry and the significance of Bloody Sunday, not just to the families who lost loved ones but also to the community in Derry and many people beyond."
Tony Doherty, whose father Patrick was killed on Bloody Sunday said Mr Ford "should be ashamed of himself".
The Bloody Sunday probe, led by Lord Saville, was set up in 1998 and is the most expensive inquiry in British legal history. It is estimated to have cost 200 million in total.
Despite evidence being given by the last witness five years ago, the final report is yet to be published.
It is due to be delivered later this month to the Secretary of State Shaun Woodward but there is speculation that it will once again be delayed.
Mr Woodward admitted this week that the upcoming general election could prompt a further delay.
"Where it is the case that the report is delivered and there's not a parliament to publish the report as an address the report then sits in electronic and in physical form in a warehouse for what might be weeks so I am genuinely concerned," he said.
"But I am also concerned not just about legitimate leaks but those leaks which actually of course are not based on the report at all but are wild speculation dressed up as leaks to which people might be highly anxious, soldiers, families, but to which it will be impossible to give any response."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Belfast
Monday 28 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South
