Victims campaigner Paddy Cassidy died ‘without recognition he deserved’

A veteran victims campaigner died without the recognition he deserved, his family has said.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Jun 2020, 23:00 BST
Updated 26th Jun 2020, 23:07 BST
Members of the Wave Injured Group applaud as a hearse carrying their fellow campaigner Paddy Cassidy, drives his coffin to Roselawn Cemetery following a funeral mass in north Belfast. Liam McBurney/PA WireMembers of the Wave Injured Group applaud as a hearse carrying their fellow campaigner Paddy Cassidy, drives his coffin to Roselawn Cemetery following a funeral mass in north Belfast. Liam McBurney/PA Wire
Members of the Wave Injured Group applaud as a hearse carrying their fellow campaigner Paddy Cassidy, drives his coffin to Roselawn Cemetery following a funeral mass in north Belfast. Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Paddy Cassidy, from north Belfast, survived a random loyalist shooting in 1971 when he was 21 which left him to contend with severe spinal injuries for the rest of his days.

He was involved in a campaign to secure support payments for those injured in the Troubles but died earlier this week while the scheme remained stalled due to political disagreement.

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As he was laid to rest yesterday, his family said he died without the recognition he deserved and vowed to fight on. There have been reports that Stormont will announce next week that it will contribute £2.5m towards preparatory work for the scheme that had been due to open for applications on May 29.

Stormont and the Government are at odds over who foots the £100m-plus bill.

Meanwhile, Sinn Fein are blocking the appointment of a Stormont department to oversee the scheme, due to a stand-off with the Government over eligibility criteria which would require former convicted paramilitaries to go before an independent panel to determine whether or not they should get the payment.

Mr Cassidy’s family welcomed reports of the £2.5m but said things are beyond the point where preparatory work is an acceptable outcome.

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“This pension scheme is one that should already have been in place,” the family said in a statement.

“This is a pension that Paddy Cassidy and the other injured victims of the Troubles should already have been able to apply for when he was alive,” they added.

“This can-kicking exercise has meant that our grandfather, father, husband has died without the recognition he deserved.”

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Related topics:GovernmentBelfastSinn FeinNorthern Ireland