Victims of church and state child abuse are to take their battle for compensation to London as the Secretary of State prepares to implement a direct rule budget, following the failure of talks to restore devolution.
Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse (SAVIA) are calling for an interim compensation payments to over 500 individuals who gave evidence to the public enquiry led by Sir Anthony Hart.
The final report was published in January and made a series of recommendations for redress including compensation for those who were abused while in care as children.
However, as the Stormont executive collapsed at the same time, victims have been left in limbo, having been told without and Executive there are no mechanism to enact the recommendations.
Since then a number of those who gave evidence to the enquiry have died, with calls for James Brokenshire to release interim payments to victims in advance of the full redress process which will require legislation.
SAVIA spokesperson, Margaret McGuckin said survivors have already waited too long.
"Sadly many of those who started out on our campaign for justice are no longer with us, can there be any stronger case for the Secretary of State moving to put in place the necessary steps as recommended in Sir Hart’s report?
"How many more victims must die before they are even 'considered' or thought about?
"We are now victims now of a process which we have no control over.
"We have fought long and hard for justice over the past 10 years. We cannot afford to wait for political solutions to a wider problem".
Members of Savia will be at Westminster on Monday to hear James Brokenshire deliver his budget for Northern Ireland and lobby politicians to support their campaign.
