TROUBLES REPORT: People behind the plan
EIGHT people worked as the Consultative Group on the past before controversial plans were drawn up to pay all victims of our conflict - including terrorists' families.
The News Letter reveals their backgrounds:
:: Lord Robin Eames: Chairman of the group: He stepped down as Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of the Church of Ireland in 2006 after 20 years in office.
Playing a prominent role at the bloodiest periods of the Troubles, he and was a leading advocate for peace.
He also played a key role in a commission to build consensus for the future and avoid a split over issues such as gay clergy.
:: Denis Bradley: Co-chair of the report, he is former vice-chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
An ex-Catholic priest, he was at Bloody Sunday in Derry in 1972, when British troops shot dead 13 civilians in a civil rights march, while a 14th died later from wounds.
He acted as an intermediary to help end the IRA campaign of violence and has a long history of helping combat addiction to alcohol and other drugs.
:: Jarlath Burns: From south Armagh, he is one of two senior sports figures on the group.
Best known as a former star of Gaelic football, he captained his county team.
A Gaelic games pundit on television and in print, he has also held a number of senior posts in the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and currently chairs the committee marking its 125th anniversary.
A fluent Irish speaker, he is vice principal of a major post-primary school and teaches at summer schools in an Irish-speaking area of Donegal.
:: James Mackey: A retired lecturer of philosophy and professor of theology born in Waterford, he holds a doctorate in philosophy from Queen's University Belfast.
He has in the past led a major international conference on the conflict in Northern Ireland, publishing its findings.
In 2005 he served on a panel for the assessment of the Northern Ireland Policing Board and took special responsibility for the matter of human rights implementation.
:: Elaine Moore: A development worker with Northlands Drugs and Alcohol Project based in HMP Magilligan.
Born in Londonderry, she acquired a masters degree in medical science in addiction studies in 1997 and also holds a BA degree in youth and community work.
She started her career as a youth worker in Liverpool and subsequently worked in a rehabilitation unit in Belize before working for the Northern Board on the Tackling Drugs Together initiative.
:: Rev Dr Lesley Carroll: Born and grew up in Coalisland, Co Tyrone, she has worked in North Belfast for 20 years and is minister at Fortwilliam and Macrory Presbyterian Church.
She co-convenes the Presbyterian Church in Ireland's Church and Society committee and is a member of the General Board.
She is a regular broadcaster and has been involved in community projects.
:: Willie John McBride: A former rugby star who played for Ireland and the British Lions.
He played 63 Tests for Ireland including 11 as captain, and toured with the Lions five times - a record that gave him 17 Lions Test caps.
In 1997 he was an inaugural inductee into the International Rugby Hall of Fame.
He worked in the banking industry from 1959 to 1994 and was conferred a doctorate of law by University College Dublin in 2004.
:: David Porter: A director of the International Centre for Reconciliation and Canon Director of Reconciliation Ministries at Coventry Cathedral, is also the former director of the Centre for Contemporary Christianity in Ireland.
In 2000 he was appointed a member of the Northern Ireland Civic Forum set up under the 1998 Belfast Agreement as a consultative body to the Assembly and also serves on the Truth Recovery and Acknowledgement sub group of the Healing Through Remembering project.
The Consultative Group received advice from:
Martti Ahtisaari: Former president of Finland, who sat on the team overseeing the inspection of paramilitary weapons decommissioning in Northern Ireland, and
Brian Currin: A South African legal expert, who was involved in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in his native country.
He also tried to mediate in the infamous and often violent parades dispute at Drumcree, Co Armagh.
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Monday 28 May 2012
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