Ulster rejects Eames Bradley report on Troubles
A majority of people have rejected the Eames-Bradley proposals for dealing with the legacy of the Troubles.
The Northern Ireland Office has published a summary of responses to a consultation on proposals put forward by the Consultative Group on the Past.
The group sparked controversy when it suggested paying 12,000 to all the families of victims of violence, including terrorists but former Secretary of State Shaun Woodward ruled the idea out.
A total of 20 out of 28 organisations opposed the payment with only eight supporting it, and all but five of the 174 individuals responding also rejected the proposal.
The Consultative Group on the Past was established in June 2007 for cross-community consultation on how we can build a "shared future" in Northern Ireland.
Their finished report, containing 31 recommendations on issues such as victims, justice and information recovery, was delivered in January 2009 and was widely criticised.
Following the report's publication, all interested parties were invited to submit their views on the recommendations and a total of 246 responses were received.
Of these, 72 were from organisations, parties or relevant professionals and a further 174 were from individuals.
Secretary of State Owen Paterson said he hoped that the publication of a summary of responses "demonstrates the transparent and measured approach I intend to take".
Mr Paterson added: "The Consultative Group's report should be seen as an important contribution to the debate about the past.
"I am committed to listening to the views of people from across the community in Northern Ireland on the role I can play on this important issue."
Former Archbishop of Armagh Lord Eames and Denis Bradley, the first vice-chairman of the Policing Board, co-chaired the consultative body.
According to today's summary of submissions, the majority of the 174 individuals putting forward their views "rejected the report in its entirety without offering comments on the recommendations".
Some of the report's more contentious recommendations related to the proposed legacy commission – dismissed by the Ulster Unionist Party as a "one sided truth commission" – and the one-off payment of 12,000 to the nearest relative of anyone killed during conflict from January 1966.
The Ulster Special Constabulary Association described the "financial inducements" as a "crude and insensitive way to attempt to deal with the suffering of families".
Another controversial aspect of the consultation centred on the question of the promised Finucane Inquiry.
Eames-Bradley recommended no new public inquiries but the majority of organisations responding disagreed.
The NI Retired Police Officer's Association was one of the 10 supporters, dismissing public inquiries as "partisan, pointless, costly, time-consuming and divisive".
The responses document is available on the NIO website at www.nio.gov.uk in the public consultation section.
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Tuesday 29 May 2012
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