Unionists react with anger at SF allowances decision

Unionists have reacted with anger at the news that Sinn Fein is to have its Assembly allowances restored.

The news was confirmed by Secretary of State Peter Hain on Wednesday just a few hours after the sixth International Monitoring Commission report was released. Mr Hain also confirmed that on top of the £120,000 allowance he was considering restoring Sinn Fein's Westminster allowances of £500,000 to Sinn Fein's four MPs.

DUP Leader Dr Ian Paisley said: “For the Secretary of State to restore to Sinn Fein its Parliamentary Westminster allowance is outrageous and demeans the very name of Parliament.

"I have made the Secretary of State aware of my outrage at this decision, that it has no basis in evidence, and have warned him that it will cripple unionist confidence to see the IRA rewarded for doing nothing. No one should underestimate the seriousness of the situation that this causes to the political realm.”

UUP Assembly Group Deputy Leader Danny Kennedy said it was clear that the Secretary of State’s decision to restore Sinn Fein’s Assembly allowances was "part of the latest concession choreography to Republicans".

"This latest sweetener to Republicans adds to the litany of concessions, which have been handed to Republicans since the summer," Mr Kennedy said.

“It is important that the IMC remains independent at all costs and must not become manipulated by government as part of the on-going concession choreography."

IMC chairman Lord Alderdice also said the decision to return Sinn Fein's allowances was against the wishes of the IMC.

"While we do feel that something very significant happened potentially in the IRA statement and indeed in the decommissioning which was reported on, we felt it was too early to make a definitive judgement on the question of returning public funds to Sinn Fein at this time," he said.

(MB/SP)