RoI Troubles victims ‘are the forgotten people’

A former police officer who barely escaped with his life in a IRA bombing has told the News Letter that he and fellow victim in the Irish republic feel left out by the recently-instituted Troubles pension scheme.
By Adam Kula
Published 22nd Jul 2021, 09:55 BST
Updated 22nd Jul 2021, 10:33 BST
Image of ex-Garda Sergeant Jim CannonImage of ex-Garda Sergeant Jim Cannon
Image of ex-Garda Sergeant Jim Cannon

Jim Cannon, now 87, survived being buried under a collapsed house when his team were lured to Portarlington village in 1976 by a false report.

He yesterday said that the current heatwave is causing him great discomfort due to the injuries he suffered that day.

“The Irish government aren’t doing enough,” he said.

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“The victims of terrorism in the south of Ireland are the forgotten people.

“And it’s about time now the government, at this stage, see that this has been approved now and they’re looking after the victims in the north. The same thing should be happening for the rest of us here.”

The victims’ pension scheme is set to be enacted in Northern Ireland on August 31, after years of delay.

It accords payments to people who were wounded in the Troubles, which can reportedly reach up to about £10,000.

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But under its current rules, “the incident resulting in the injury must have either taken place in the UK” unless the injured person was a UK citizen or was “serving the crown”.

More on the Troubles amnesty:

Ex-chief constable condemns erosion of ‘our once-cherished justice system’

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