Bobby Storey funeral: DUP group leader hoping for independent probe to report in a fortnight

The leader of the biggest unionist bloc on Belfast City Council has said he hopes to see a full independent investigation into the furore around IRA boss Bobby Storey’s funeral completed by the end of the month.
By Adam Kula
Published 15th Jul 2020, 07:00 BST
The funeral cortege at Milltown before going to RoselawnThe funeral cortege at Milltown before going to Roselawn
The funeral cortege at Milltown before going to Roselawn

George Dorrian was speaking to the News Letter yesterday, after Belfast City Council agreed last Friday to bring in an independent investigator to pore over exactly what happened during Mr Storey’s funeral on June 30, and why.

There has been an upwelling of anger for the past fornight around his funeral.

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It saw him given a chapel service (with 120 people present according to the BBC), then a mile-long procession to Catholic Church-run Milltown Cemetery in west Belfast attended by thousands of onlookers and top Sinn Fein figures. Then a series of speeches were given in the graveyard (also attended by thousands) – before his coffin was quietly taken to the council-run Roselawn crematorium.

It has since been revealed that the Storey family (who brought their own stewards to Roselawn) were the only one of nine families that was allowed to hold a service beside the crematorium that day.

An internal council investigation has found “no political intent” on the part of the council when it allowed preferential treatment for Mr Storey’s family.

But unionists are awaiting an independent analysis.

Mr Dorrian, in charge of the 15-strong DUP group on the council, said of the independent review that it “has to be swift – certainly not in terms of months”.

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“We’ll not put a timescale formally on it, but it has to be very soon, it has to be rapid.

“Part of this is to get people’s confidence in the council back.

“It can’t take months on end – we’re hoping for a far shorter time scale than that.”

Asked if he wants it complete by the end of July, he said: “In an ideal world.

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“We want progress on this, we don’t want it sitting on a shelf, bringing it back for committee meetings and things like that. People need to get on with it.”

It is not yet certain who will lead the independent review.

When the DUP proposal to bring in independent investigators to look at the funeral fracas was put to the council, 36 councillors backed it while 21 abstained.

Alliance councillor Sian Mulholland, who seconded the motion, said: “We just simply need somebody to look at this independently ... we need full openness and transparency”.

Green councillor Mal O’Hara said that “it appears there is one rule for senior politicians and those with power and influence and another for ordinary people”.

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A council spokeswoman said: “A decision has been taken by Members to carry out an independent investigation, therefore it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.”

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