NIO puts pressure on Sinn Fein to deliver victims’ pension

Along with new guidance published today on how an independent panel will assess eligibility for the new payment scheme, Secretary of State Brandon Lewis said the onus was now on Sinn Fein to agree a way forward.

“The moral and legal obligation to deliver this scheme for victims of the Troubles injured through no fault of their own is undeniable and I hope that the publication of today’s guidance will renew the focus and efforts of the Northern Ireland Executive to move forward to finally deliver for these victims,” Mr Lewis said.

“The political disagreements and delay of the last few years on this issue have gone on long enough. It is imperative that Sinn Féin now enable the scheme to move forward by agreeing with all the other parties and urgently designate a department to administer the scheme and get payments to those who will benefit most,” he added.

The scheme was legislated for in January following a public consultation.

It is designed to acknowledge those “living with serious and continuing disablement” from injuries due to a Troubles-related incident.

Those injuries can be physical and/or psychological.

All decisions taken by the independent board will be on a case by case basis, and the guidance provides guiding principles to inform decisions where an applicant has a serious conviction, or in exceptional circumstances having regard to material evidence.

The new guidance also states that it is not appropriate for payments to be made to people who have a serious conviction for an offence that caused serious harm to others, nor is it appropriate for payments to be made to people who have a recent conviction for a terrorism related offence, whether the offence is serious or not.

DUP leader and First Minister Arlene Foster said it would be “wholly wrong” for bombers to be awarded a pension.

“The blockage remains that the deputy First Minister has not agreed to designate the Department of Justice to process the pension. Four of the five Executive parties are agreed that DoJ is the appropriate department. It is time for Sinn Fein to make the needs of innocent victims...a priority”.

Ulster Unionist MLA Doug Beattie has also welcomed the publication of the guidance.

He said: “The primary purpose of the Victims’ Payment Scheme was to provide for those who suffered life changing injuries through no fault of their own during the Troubles. Shamefully, the twisting and turning to prevent this payment from being made has led us far away from that principle.

“Those who have been promised this payment should not have to wait another day longer.”

TUV leader Jim Allister has called for the NIO to administer the pension from Westminster to “defuse the pernicious Sinn Fein veto,” at Stormont, and added: “Only a fool would think IRA/Sinn Fein will ever do the right thing by their victims.”

Gerry Kelly has defended his party’s opposition to the NIO guidelines on Troubles pension payments.

The Sinn Fein MLA has branded the exclusion of those with convictions for certain serious crimes “discriminatory and unacceptable”.

He said a “political solution” was needed, and added: “There is a need for a scheme which not only acknowledges the hurt and suffering of all victims of the conflict but also meets their needs, including financial needs. What the British government are putting forward in this guidance document would create a hierarchy of victims which would exclude many, particularly those from within the nationalist and republican community.”

The Commission for Victims and Survivors has said it will take legal advice before commenting.