The shame of funding ex-prisoners groups
16 September 2009
Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister QC
“Playing fast and loose with victims’ issues is not a new experience for some. In the News Letter today (16 September) Jeffrey Donaldson speaks of innocent victims being rightly angry when they saw ex-prisoner’s groups receive millions of Peace III money. What Mr Donaldson did not go on to say is that the £7.5m of Peace III money paid to Coista not only was under Peace III criteria and target groups approved by the Joint First Ministers but this payment required and received the approval of OFMDFM at a time when he was a Junior Minister in that office with oversight for victims!
“Without DUP approval of ex-prisoners as a target group for Peace funding they could not have received such outrageous preferential treatment. What has been the point of the DUP being in government if it is not even prepared to exercise a veto over
“Once more if the DUP practised what it preached it would have more credibility.”
