‘Discussion to be had’ on Troubles compensation extension, says Michelle O’Neill
Michelle O’Neill has said there is “discussion to be had” on extending a compensation scheme for those permanently disabled in an incident from Northern Ireland’s troubled past.
By May this year, some £139 million had been paid out from the Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme – which will close to new applicants at the end of August.
It opened on August 31, 2021 with the aim of providing those living with a disablement through no fault of their own in the Troubles with a payment in recognition of the harm they suffered, and impact on their carers.
The scheme is administered by the Victims’ Payments Board (VPB).
Asked if it is “imperative” that the scheme continues, Ms O’Neill said there is a “discussion to be had”.
“I don’t think there’s any firm decisions around that. I’ve listened to today’s conversation around it, but I think that there’s a lot of work to be done in terms of what happens next,” she said.
She added: “Well, I think there’s been a lot of people that really benefited from it, and I think we have to recognise that.
“I think we have to support victims and survivors, so I think the conversation needs to be had and I’m not going to make, you know, a policy decision on the hoof, I think we need to give it some consideration.”
DUP MLA Phillip Brett said Troubles Victims “deserve consistency and support, not political revisionism from Sinn Fein”.
“The Troubles Permanent Disablement Payment Scheme provides long-overdue recognition for innocent victims who have lived for decades with life-changing injuries through no fault of their own,” he said in a statement.
“The DUP fought to ensure this scheme was established with innocent victims at its heart.
“Even by Sinn Fein’s standards of rewriting history, their attempt to now portray themselves as champions of this scheme is breathtaking.”
He added: “Sinn Fein’s objection was clear. They opposed eligibility arrangements which prevented those injured by their own hand whilst engaged in terrorism from benefiting from a scheme designed for those seriously injured through no fault of their own.”
Mr Brett said there is a “legitimate discussion to be had about ensuring innocent victims who are entitled to support are not unfairly excluded”, but Sinn Fein cannot “rewrite history”.
In 2020 as deputy first minister, Ms O’Neill said she was “committed to delivering a Victims Payment scheme, which is needs based and open to all who were seriously physically and psychologically injured during the conflict”.
On Wednesday, the Sinn Fein vice-president was also asked about her decision to attend a commemoration of provisional IRA member Thomas McElwee at the weekend.
McElwee was arrested for his involvement in a bomb attack on a shop in Ballymena in 1976 in which 27-year-old mother of three Yvonne Dunlop was killed.
Ms O’Neill said she is aware there have been “many tragedies and injustices in our past”, and said she is “sorry for every single loss of life”.
She added: “Any family that lost a loved one who’s been hurt, who’s been grieving all these years, having to carry that with them every day. I’m very, very mindful of all of those people.
“I’m equally mindful that everyone has a right to remember their dead, and we should create the space to allow each other to do so in a respectful way and that’s what I did on Sunday when I first spoke with the McElwee family.
“I’ve always said this, this is not something new, this is my consistent position.
“I am consistent in my position, I think others that are trying to take political pop shots are not being consistent.”