Northern Ireland

Doug Beattie claims Sinn Féin continue to hold up pension scheme

UUP MLA Doug Beattie.
UUP MLA Doug Beattie. UUP MLA Doug Beattie.

First minister Arlene Foster has said she would be in favour of Westminster taking over the victims pension scheme if a solution cannot be found to the current impasse.

Sinn Féin have refused to designate a department to deal with the scheme, saying the draft guidelines discriminate against potentially hundreds of injured victims.

In response to an assembly question about the pension scheme yesterday, the DUP First Minister said: "We do not have agreement on a designated department as yet, I certainly hope that will change.

"As you know the Department of Justice have offered to be that designated department.

"It is wrong that innocent victims are not receiving what they are legally entitled to receive.

"If that is not possible, then given this came from Westminster through the Executive Formation act originally ... then I think the Westminster government have an obligation to look to other ways to deal with this issue".

Earlier Sinn Féin leader, Mary Lou McDonald acknowledged the difference between civilian and "combatant" victims.

Mrs McDonald said her party wanted "all of those victims to have the dignity and support that the absolutely deserve".

She added that the death Private Patrick Kelly, the only Irish soldier killed by the IRA during the Troubles, was murder.

Private Kelly was part of a joint Garda-Army operation attempting to rescue supermarket boss Don Tidey, who was kidnapped by the IRA in 1983 and held in a forest hideout near Ballinamore, Co Leitrim.

"I have no difficulty acknowledging his father's loss was murder ... I have no difficulty in acknowledging that, why would I?"

On the victim's pension she told the BBC: "We want a scheme that is even handed, equatable and that inclusive, we do not want the type of scheme that the British government have come up with."

"I believe there is a clear distinction between combatants and civilian forces, of course there absolutely is.

"But what we will not support is a scheme that is deliberately and rather cruelly designed to be partisan, to be partial and to make judgements as to who was right and who was wrong in terms of the combatant groups.

"I want everyone to be included, that's how we heal, that's how we move ahead and I think it is hugely disappointing, in fact it's disgraceful ,.. that they have deliberately now contrived a scheme that is going to leave people wo were very badly injured, grievously injured behind, for the simple reason that they were interned", she added.

Ulster Unionist MLA, Doug Beattie said: "On the face of it this would seem like a major shift in position from Sinn Féin".

"However, time will tell if this is another case of vague commentary from Mary Lou McDonald that is later clarified to reinforce the hard-line Sinn Féin position", Mr Beattie said.

"She draws a distinction between ‘combatants’ and ‘civilians’ but time will tell what she actually means by this.

"Mary Lou McDonald also did not row back on the position of Sinn Féin on the guidance which is what is holding up the pension.

"The fundamental point is that Sinn Féin are blocking injured victims from receiving the Victims’ Payment and that remains the case regardless of what Mary Lou McDonald may have said", he added.