Troubles trauma team has children as young as six referred to it

Children as young as six are suffering from Troubles-related problems, an Irish government committee heard.
By The Newsroom
Published 26th Oct 2017, 22:26 BST
Updated 11th Dec 2017, 22:55 BST
Children being led away from the scene of the Enniskillen bombing in 1987Children being led away from the scene of the Enniskillen bombing in 1987
Children being led away from the scene of the Enniskillen bombing in 1987

The Wave Trauma Centre, which supports people affected by the Troubles, said the charity had received a number of referrals of young children who had been traumatised by it second hand.

The charity’s CEO Sandra Peake was addressing the Dail parliament’s Good Friday Agreement Implementation Committee in an evidence session on the impact of legacy issues from the conflict.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said on Thursday: “In the last year we’ve had 650 people referred to us, some as young as six years old.

“If you think that mortality (from old age of people traumatised by the Troubles) will sort it out – you’re wrong. It just gets passed to the next generation.”

She called on politicians to ensure legacy cases are heard and that injured people get adequate financial support.