Senior Irish diplomat Áine de Baróid, who was forced to leave the North because of a loyalist death threat, has returned to work in Belfast, it was officially confirmed yesterday.
Ms de Baróid, who was engaged in work designed to assist loyalist areas and to help loyalist paramilitaries move away from violence and criminality, is now back working with the British-Irish Secretariat in Belfast on secondment from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
The PSNI has informed the department and Ms de Baróid - who is involved in loyalist outreach projects in tandem with Dr Martin McAleese, husband of the President, Mrs McAleese - that the threat was now lifted, according to official sources.
The threat is believed to have emanated from "dissident" loyalist elements in southeast Antrim. Loyalist sources said it did not come from the UDA, UVF or Red Hand Commando. Frankie Gallagher, a senior figure in the Ulster Political Research Group, which is linked to the UDA, previously condemned the threat, which was issued during the summer.
He said Ms de Baróid had carried out valuable work for loyalists including attempting to attract business investment to deprived areas.
SDLP Assembly member Alban Maginness commended Ms de Baróid's courage in getting back to work. "There are two lessons to be drawn from this unfortunate incident," he added.
"The first is that all paramilitary groups have to go out of business so that no one is faced with this type of threat again.
"The second and more important one is that the role of the British-Irish Secretariat and other such agencies have been demonised for cheap political advantage and that must stop," Mr Maginness said.
Former Alliance lord mayor of Belfast Tom Ekin said Ms de Baróid had "worked tirelessly to get everyone together and to help eradicate sectarian violence and hatred.
"I have heard many loyalists express their thanks to her for the hard work she had done."
