Victims groups demonstrate at Stormont over funding crisis in the sector
Victims commissioner Joe McVey has backed calls from victims groups for a funding gap to be plugged to protect support and services.
Victims groups staged a demonstration at Stormont on Wednesday highlighting a £3.3 million funding deficit to provide support and services for those impacted by the Northern Ireland Troubles.
It came ahead of a discussion about funding in the victims’ sector at the Executive Office committee.
During the committee meeting TUV MLA Timothy Gaston raised the funding concerns with the commissioner for victims and survivors Joe McVey.
He responded paying tribute to the groups and the services they provide, and saying he shares their concerns.
“I think identified need is only the tip of the iceberg because these are the people who engage with the groups, I think there is a silent group out there that we aren’t touching on,” he told MLAs.
“I think they’re going to come forward, and things like the Troubles Bill is going to increase demand.
“I agree wholeheartedly it needs to be tackled now because what we’re doing, if we don’t do this now, is storing up trouble.
“We need to see the investment now.”
Director of SEFF Kenny Donaldson said there is a real risk to services.
“We’re very clear that the 2017 levels are not satisfactory in 2026, and it’s going to mean real risks to services both in terms of safety and ethical practise, but also in terms of being able to offer the very best wholistic response to victims’ and survivors’ needs,” he said.
“Tens of millions of pounds are being spent on legacy issues, and also within our courts in terms of settlement, yet the very sector that underpins all of this is at real risk.
“I have not known this in 18 years that I have been involved with this work, for such a bleak outlook.
“We know that there are people who are trying their best to come up with creative solutions, today we are here to offer a focus to those in the rooms upstairs to make this the priority issue that they say it is.
“We are calling upon the Executive Office ministers, our Health Minister and Justice Minister to get themselves into a room and thrash this out, and examine how this £3.3 million can be realised, because at the end of the day our sector is delivering across departmental policy issues and that needs to be recognised.
“These groups are a lifeline for victims and survivors.”
Sandra Harrison from the group Mast in Kilkeel, Co Down whose brother Alan Johnston, a UDR soldier, was killed by the IRA in 1988, backed the call.
“We need our funding or there will be drastic changes in terms of our work,” she said.
“We’re quite a small group, but it’s going to affect a lot of our workshops, social support and we also avail of counselling and complementary therapy through the bigger groups, and it’s really important to our group to have these services kept.
“I really think it’s keeping people from going to doctors because the complementary therapies and counselling are helping people.
“We’re all standing here together today as innocent victims to see if we can get the funding that we need.”