Sinn Fein stance over victims’ pension ‘unforgivable’: Doug Beattie

The actions of Sinn Fein in blocking a new pension for Troubles victims over the eligibility criteria is “totally unforgivable,” Doug Beattie has said.
By Mark Rainey
Published 3rd Jun 2020, 19:04 BST
Victims Commissioner Judith Thompson (right) and First Minster Arlene Foster at a victims event in 2016Victims Commissioner Judith Thompson (right) and First Minster Arlene Foster at a victims event in 2016
Victims Commissioner Judith Thompson (right) and First Minster Arlene Foster at a victims event in 2016

The Ulster Unionist MLA was commenting after senior Sinn Fein figures revealed the party is continuing to reject the clause in the new legislation that would exclude those who were seriously injured while carrying out attacks or other terrorist activity.

Mr Beattie said that by refusing to support the scheme in its current form, republicans were attempting to give those who carried out terrorist acts “equivalence with their victims”.

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Although the Victims’ Payment Scheme was due to open for applications on May 29, it was delayed with the main stumbling block reported to be the UK Government’s insistence that Stormont foots the £100 million bill.

However, speaking on BBC Talkback on Wednesday, Gerry Kelly said the Northern Ireland parties were not consulted on the legislation which has “the potential to exclude perhaps thousands of republicans and nationalists who were injured by state forces”.

His party colleague Pat Sheehan, during a meeting of the Executive Office committee at Stormont, described the eligibility criteria as having “serious design faults,” and said the government has moved away entirely from what was agreed on legacy at Stormont House in 2014.

Mr Beattie said: “This is Sinn Fein acting for the few, not the many, to preserve their own narrative of the past. They are abandoning hundreds of victims who had thought this issue had been resolved and it is totally unforgivable.

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“The sheer audacity of Sinn Fein to want the UK Government to fund the whole scheme that covers many of the victims of the IRA who they supported is shameful. But to add insult to injury they want those IRA perpetrators to avail of the same payment to give them equivalence with their victims.”

In the House of Lords, government representative Viscount Younger said the government is “extremely disappointed by the current delay,” and added: “Victims have waited too long for these payments. The government provided a legislative framework for it and the [NI] Executive must deliver.”

Victims’ Commissioner Judith Thompson has penned an open letter to Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Stormont Executive demanding a resolution to the “shameful stand-off” on the pension payments.