Opinion

Institutional abuse victims deserve justice

The funeral today of Billy McConville puts into sharp focus the appalling delays facing the victims of institutional abuse in Northern Ireland.

Mr McConville (50), who died following a battle with cancer at the weekend, was let down by the authorities at virtually every stage of his life.

After his mother, Jean McConville, was abducted and murdered by the IRA in 1972, her ten orphaned children were left to fend for themselves.

Eventually Billy McConville was placed in Catholic care homes where he suffered sexual and physical harm.

Shortly before he died, he appealed to Stormont politicians to sort out their differences and ensure the victims of institutional abuse received the justice they deserved.

In January, Sir Anthony Hart, who chaired the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry, delivered his findings and recommended compensation for survivors as well as an apology and access to mental health facilities.

With the collapse of the Stormont institutions, victims who had hoped that, finally, there would be some official redress, have been left in limbo.

Sadly, Billy McConville is one of more than 60 abuse victims who have passed away before securing the justice they campaigned for over many years.

Now former first minister Peter Robinson has intervened to express support for the victims and urge action on their behalf.

In an article for The Irish News today, Mr Robinson told how he and Martin McGuinness were `deeply affected' and `distressed' by the stories outlined by those who were abused and said he had hoped that following the publication of the HIA report that `immediate apologies and compensation would follow.'

Although the Stormont collapse has caused delay, he believes there is no issue of contention among the parties regarding the implementation of the report.

Mr Robinson has called on James Brokenshire to consult with the parties and assess if there is `sufficient consensus to proceed'.

Any move by the secretary of state to address the plight of abuse victims would be both welcome and appropriate.