Internment compensation claims: 'IRA victims got a pittance but Gerry Adams could get six figures'

​One who lost a brother in the Teebane atrocity exactly 33 years ago yesterday told the News Letter her family received a “token” amount of compensation.

Another lamented the lack of justice for the murders of two family members, and said a payout for Mr Adams would be seen as a “betrayal”.

They were speaking after a furore erupted this week over plans by the Labour government to amend the 2023 Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation Act) in such a way that would let ex-internees such as Mr Adams seek compensation.

The issue dates back to 2020, when Mr Adams overturned his convictions for escaping from jail on the basis that the original order to intern him was not signed by the Secretary of State, but rather by one of his deputies.

This paved the way for a compensation claim from him and others who were similarly interned – except that the 2023 act explicitly banned compensation in such cases.

Now this ban may be repealed by the Labour government, opening the way for claims once again.

The BBC reports that if Mr Adams is successful in a claim, “it could result in a six-figure payout”.

Ruth Forrest is older sister of one of the eight Teebane bombing victims, David Harkness (24).

The anniversary of that bloodbath was on Friday.

She is "disgusted" by the prospect of compensation for Mr Adams, especially since her family got "very, very little" in compensation – a mere "token" amount, in part because David was unmarried.

"It's actually horrifying," she said.

"I think it's repulsive [that Adams would get a payout].

"To get news like that when you're approaching another anniversary doesn't make it any easier.

"David was a single fellow. He wasn't married so he wasn't as 'valuable' - which makes me feel ill, that somebody would think that his life wasn't worth very much.

"Because he wasn't married and was at home he wasn't considered to be a valuable asset basically.

"Today is a Friday and that's the day the boys died. It's actually to the day as well as the date. All day I'm up from 6am thinking it was today. Another year without my brother. It's very hard."

An Adams payout would be "repulsive" to victims, she said.

"I think we all would be united in feeling, disgusted, horrified, and let down. You just want justice. It's not so much you want money - you want justice, and the truth.

"And for somebody in his position - who claims he never was in the IRA, right enough - to even have the audacity to look for compensation is definitely repulsive to me."

While opposed to the British state, compensation for Adams would show he's "very glad of the king's money".

Alan Irwin, a Church of Ireland minister who lost his father Thomas (52) and uncle Fred (43) in separate IRA shootings, said his family got compensation in both cases, but "it didn't amount to a lot" – especially given that they had lost "the breadwinner in the house".

"You're expected to rely on whatever state handout that comes, if it comes," he said.

When it comes to the idea of Mr Adams' getting compensation, he said: "I don't know where this country's going... that's unbelieveable to me they would go down that line and do that.

"It's hard to grasp the reality that he would get it. But it doesn't surprise me with Labour.

"They placated and appeased terrorism with the Belfast Agreement and subsequent years with on-the-runs and so on.

"It just seems to be one thing: don't annoy the republican movement.

"They were well aware of what was in the legislation before they started taking soundings about repealing.

"I know Starmer has said he'll do everything in his power [to stop a payout to Adams], but words are nothing unless they're followed up by actions."

How does he think other victims would see compensation?

"I just think they'd automatically see it as being betrayed again," he said, adding that the initial such betrayal was the 1998 agreement.

"They'll find it unbelievable: the pittance they got, and now these people could be earmarked for hundreds of thousands."​