The Alliance Party, SDLP and Ulster Unionists are playing political football with the setting up of the Victims Commission, First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley claimed today.
As MLAs debated the second stage of a Bill creating the four-member commission, the DUP leader criticised the three parties for opposing its accelerated passage.
“On this all-important matter people said we must see something is done, then immediately there seems to be a desire to stop this House in moving forward on this issue," Dr Paisley said.
“But it will not be stopped. This matter will go on legitimately in this House. The Deputy First Minister and myself in our offices and those supporting us in the Executive of this House will not be stopped.
“I can assure this House today that the needs of victims and survivors is one of the key priorities of this government - this is not a second rate thing, this is nothing to be kicked like a football to make cheap political points. This is about people’s lives, their futures. This is for the healing process that this beloved province of ours needs so badly, and we are going to see that it is going to be kept.”
The Victims’ Commission will cost £750,000 (€942,000) every year in wages and administration, with the four commissioners earning £65,000 (€82,000) each.
They include former broadcaster Mike Nesbitt and ex-interim victims’ commissioner Bertha McDougall whose husband, a police reservist, was killed by the INLA. The others are former Bloody Sunday Trust member Patricia MacBride, whose brother was killed by the SAS and whose father died 17 months after being shot by loyalists, and Brendan McAllister of Mediation NI.
A total of £33 million funding has been announced for victims. Ministers have said the backlog and range of challenges facing the commission called for four members.
But the legislation was today described as a grubby piece of legislation by Alliance leader David Ford.