Legacy: Naomi Long tells Assembly £250m funding can’t be accessed

The justice minister said £250 million has become inaccessible because it was ringfenced for structures agreed in the Stormont House deal in 2014.

She told MLAs those structures were “unilaterally set aside” by Secretary of State Brandon Lewis.

Mr Lewis set out fresh proposals for dealing with the past earlier this year.

Last month, the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee expressed concern about the move, and dismay at a “lack of consultation”.

Responding to a question from Sinn Fein MLA Maoliosa McHugh in the Assembly today, Ms Long contended there is “no certainty or clarity around what will happen next” with regard the latest proposals.

Ms Long said money has been ringfenced for legacy inquests, and there may also be additional funding for the work of the police ombudsman and for police in terms of legacy litigation.

“The issue of legacy however is much more complex,” she said.

“Because the secretary of state has unilaterally changed the proposals from the Stormont House Agreement around legacy and provided no certainty or clarity as to what will happen next, the money for example, that was set aside as part of the New Decade New Approach commitments which in total would have reached around £250 million is not accessible to my department in order to deal with legacy issues as it is ringfenced specifically for setting up the structures of the Stormont House Agreement.

“I have written to the secretary of state in that regard and I have also flagged up with the Department of Finance and will continue to do so, the particular pressures and uncertainties that face my department’s budget in respect of legacy matters.”