Statement from OFMDFM on issues raised by Victims Commission

First Minister the Rt. Hon Peter D Robinson MLA and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP, MLA have today written to Acting Chair of the Commission for Victims and Survivors, Brendan McAllister.



In their letter, the First Minister and deputy First Minister express their disappointment that Mr McAllister did not seek a meeting with them in relation to concerns over what he described as ‘pressure points’ in the victims sector, before going public on the issue.



The Ministers go on to say that they have always been happy to facilitate meetings with the Commission and they have extended an invitation to Mr McAllister and his fellow Commissioners to meet with them to discuss their issues of concern. 



Notes
 to editors:

1. Over the last three years £36million has been allocated to Victims and Survivors, while a further £50million has been set aside for allocation during the 2011-15 CSR period.



2. Specifically in relation to support for individual victims and survivors, the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund received a total budget allocation of £4.4million in 2010-11. We are working to ensure that the fund’s budget for 2011/12, a further £3million, can be released in early July.



3. To date, under the new schemes which opened in November, awards have been issued to almost 2,500 successful applications. This amounts to a value of £3.6million.