£10 Million of Euro Money to Terrorists
02 May 2012
Statement by TUV leader and North Antrim MLA Jim Allister:
“During my time as a member of the European Parliament I repeatedly raised concerns about how EU money was wasted. Of particular concern were the lavish sums which the European Union awarded to ex-prisoners.
“Under the EU Peace III programme, whose criteria and target groups were approved by OFMDFM, I was appalled at the preference which was given to ex-prisoners groups over innocent victims. In 2009 I warned that:
“Not only, have ex-prisoners got £10m under the first tranche of Peace III, approved by OFMDFM, but as a "target group" they have the advantage of being able to qualify for funding under both their own aegis but equally they can poach funds from the target group, "victims of the conflict", because of the monstrous definition of victim which includes perpetrators of violence.
“Thereby, a prisoners group can promote two projects under different aegis and obtain funding for both, provided they are distinct projects, one qualifying for ex-prisoner funding and the other as victim funding. This innocent victims cannot do. Therein is the inequity of which I complain - that ex-prisoners have two streams of funding from which to benefit, but innocent victims have only one. Thus, ex-prisoners have a preferred advantage over innocent victims.
“Yet, scandalously, it was OFMDFM's approval of these various targets groups and the criteria under which Peace III operates which makes this possible."
“In reply to an Assembly question I have now have had it confirmed that to date - with probably 2 years funding still to come - paramilitary prisoners’ groups have received £10,319,882 in PEACE III funding.
“This is an outrageous squander of public money.
“Europe cannot hide from this injustice but equally it is important to remember that the money could not have been paid if OFMDFM had not rubber-stamped the criteria.
Note to editors:
Mr Allister’s question and the Minister’s reply were as follows:
To ask the Minister of Finance and Personnel to detail the total level of PEACE III funding allocated to ex-prisoners groups.
To date, £10,319,882 in PEACE III funding has been allocated to projects that include ex-prisoner groups as partners.
