31/03/2009
Implement Eames-Bradley, Appeal Report Authors
Following widespread condemnation of proposals by a Government-established 'Consultative Group on the Past', one of the authors has warned of serious financial and logistical problems if their controversial measures are not adopted.
Top of the list of contentious items is Robin Eames and Denis Bradley's proposal to compensate every family of each and every victim of the Troubles equally.
The joint authors said in January that they should all receive a payment of £12,000 from the Government, regardless of circumstances or 'guilt'.
This week, former priest, Denis Bradley (pictured left, with Lord Eames) has warned that if the proposals of the Consultative Commission into the Past are ignored, there could be 30 years of public enquiries.
Mr Bradley, who co-led the probe into the legacy of 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland, was speaking at the British/Irish Inter-parliamentary Assembly in Donegal.
In his comments, he made a final appeal to the Secretary of State to have its recommendations implemented.
Mr Bradley and his co-chair, Lord Robin Eames were making their final public appearance before their Consultative Group on the Past is disbanded.
Their report, which was complied after 18 months of consultation, is however, still being considered by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State and by the Irish Government.
They told the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Bipa) that the British government would be making a very significant gesture by agreeing to the recognition payment.
But, the unionist community was appalled by the principle of recognition payments, eve though Lord Eames claimed politicians and others had lobbied his group for recognition payments for individual victims' groups.
"We didn't pluck it out of thin air. The issue came up from a very wide section of opinion that we were consulting with," he explained.
Mr Bradley also said the Historical Enquiries Team and the Police Ombudsman would both cost £100m over the next five years.
He also claimed that up to 300 police officers will be spending their entire time dealing with historical cases, which will also cost £100m.
See: Eames-Bradley Proposals Slammed
(BMcC/JM)
Top of the list of contentious items is Robin Eames and Denis Bradley's proposal to compensate every family of each and every victim of the Troubles equally.
The joint authors said in January that they should all receive a payment of £12,000 from the Government, regardless of circumstances or 'guilt'.
This week, former priest, Denis Bradley (pictured left, with Lord Eames) has warned that if the proposals of the Consultative Commission into the Past are ignored, there could be 30 years of public enquiries.
Mr Bradley, who co-led the probe into the legacy of 30 years of violence in Northern Ireland, was speaking at the British/Irish Inter-parliamentary Assembly in Donegal.
In his comments, he made a final appeal to the Secretary of State to have its recommendations implemented.
Mr Bradley and his co-chair, Lord Robin Eames were making their final public appearance before their Consultative Group on the Past is disbanded.
Their report, which was complied after 18 months of consultation, is however, still being considered by the Northern Ireland Secretary of State and by the Irish Government.
They told the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly (Bipa) that the British government would be making a very significant gesture by agreeing to the recognition payment.
But, the unionist community was appalled by the principle of recognition payments, eve though Lord Eames claimed politicians and others had lobbied his group for recognition payments for individual victims' groups.
"We didn't pluck it out of thin air. The issue came up from a very wide section of opinion that we were consulting with," he explained.
Mr Bradley also said the Historical Enquiries Team and the Police Ombudsman would both cost £100m over the next five years.
He also claimed that up to 300 police officers will be spending their entire time dealing with historical cases, which will also cost £100m.
See: Eames-Bradley Proposals Slammed
(BMcC/JM)
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