Northern Ireland government 'unlawfully' delaying pension scheme for victims of Troubles
The Northern Irish government is acting unlawfully in delaying the introduction of a compensation scheme for injured victims of the Troubles, a judge at Belfast High Court has ruled.
Justice McAlinden said The Executive Office (TEO) was under a “clear, unqualified and unconditional obligation” to designate a Stormont department to take forward the scheme by establishing a victims payment board by 29 May.
The judge said any argument to the contrary was “obtuse, absurd and irrational”.
He dismissed as “nonsense” a TEO contention that the court should not involve itself in what it claimed was a political dispute.
The judge said the TEO was deliberately stymieing the introduction of the scheme in a bid to pressurise Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis to change the terms of the scheme.
He said TEO stance was “truly shocking” and said it demonstrated either a “wilful” disregard for the law or “abject ignorance” of it.
Justice McAlinden said Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill was the only minister in TEO taking this stance, highlighting the First Minister Arlene Foster, having initially adopted the same position, had now made clear she was willing to designate a department immediately.
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