THE NORTHERN Assembly has been told of newly-agreed plans to establish a four-member Victims Commission. However, both the UUP and the SDLP have criticised the plans.
Consideration of the issue has twice been delayed at the Assembly because of disagreement between the DUP and Sinn Féin.
The main stumbling block concerned the selection of a chief commissioner to be chosen from among the four appointed earlier this year to deal with victims’ issues and the legacy of the Troubles.
Under the proposals put to the Assembly yesterday there are no immediate plans to appoint a chief commissioner, which the DUP favours and Sinn Féin opposes, but such an appointment could be made in the future.
Junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson told Assembly members new structures could emerge as the commissioners get down to work. “The needs of victims and survivors will change and the new structures of support will develop,” he said. “The legislation is drafted in a way that gives the flexibility to move away from four full-time commissioners if necessary.
“The legislation as drafted would allow for the possibility in future of a commission that could be made up of a number of part-time commissioners with part-time remuneration rather than full-time commissioners if required.”
The commissioners are former broadcaster Mike Nesbitt, ex-interim victims’ commissioner Bertha McDougall, Patricia MacBride, whose brother was killed by the SAS and whose father was shot dead by loyalists, and Brendan McAllister of Mediation NI.
Consideration of the Commission for Victims and Survivors Bill giving effect to the Victims Commission has twice been delayed because of the disagreement between the DUP and republicans over the issue of a chief commissioner.
However, the plans were criticised by both the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP. Basil McCrea, for the UUP, accused Mr Donaldson of presenting proposals which were drawn up, not by the executive as a whole, but by what he called the Sinn Féin-DUP axis.
The SDLP’s Dolores Kelly also attacked the plan: “It is unfair and unacceptable that victims’ interests remain prejudiced by the lack of consensus and failure of leadership within the Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister.” Alliance deputy leader Naomi Long, whose party advocated the selection of a chief commissioner, said: “We do not believe that would undermine, devalue or negate the right of any other member of that commission to express a view whether it be a majority or a minority opinion.”