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08/03/2018
Former First Minister Was Wrong To Block Funding For Legacy Inquests
A judge has ruled that the former First Minister's decision to block funding for a plan for legacy inquests was unlawful and flawed.
A High Court judge said Arlene Foster's decision, that £150 million allocated as part of the Stormont House Agreement should await the outcome of an overall package dealing with all legacy issues, was wrong.
Amnesty International has called on the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley to urgently release funding for legacy inquests.
Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland Campaigns Manager, said: "Victims are not political fodder - their right to justice must not be held to ransom until an agreement is reached at Stormont.
"The Secretary of State must act without delay following today's ruling and immediately release funding for legacy inquests.
"A failure to do so would show utter contempt for victims who have long been paying the price for the failure of government to effectively deal with the past.
"It is time the UK Government treated this issue with the urgency it demands."
Welcoming the decision Alliance MLA David Ford, said: "As Minister of Justice, I worked with the Lord Chief Justice to give additional funding for legacy inquests and the justice agencies with responsibility for supporting them. However, my request for the then Executive to access Treasury funding was never tabled for Executive consideration, as the former First Minister was opposed to it.
"Today's ruling is welcome and makes it clear Arlene Foster's decision to refuse funding was motivated by political considerations. While the money will not deal with all inquests, it will get the ball rolling and bring many families closer to justice for their loved ones."
(CD/MH)
A High Court judge said Arlene Foster's decision, that £150 million allocated as part of the Stormont House Agreement should await the outcome of an overall package dealing with all legacy issues, was wrong.
Amnesty International has called on the Northern Ireland Secretary of State Karen Bradley to urgently release funding for legacy inquests.
Grainne Teggart, Amnesty International's Northern Ireland Campaigns Manager, said: "Victims are not political fodder - their right to justice must not be held to ransom until an agreement is reached at Stormont.
"The Secretary of State must act without delay following today's ruling and immediately release funding for legacy inquests.
"A failure to do so would show utter contempt for victims who have long been paying the price for the failure of government to effectively deal with the past.
"It is time the UK Government treated this issue with the urgency it demands."
Welcoming the decision Alliance MLA David Ford, said: "As Minister of Justice, I worked with the Lord Chief Justice to give additional funding for legacy inquests and the justice agencies with responsibility for supporting them. However, my request for the then Executive to access Treasury funding was never tabled for Executive consideration, as the former First Minister was opposed to it.
"Today's ruling is welcome and makes it clear Arlene Foster's decision to refuse funding was motivated by political considerations. While the money will not deal with all inquests, it will get the ball rolling and bring many families closer to justice for their loved ones."
(CD/MH)
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