Ford welcomes Woodward move to stop Eames-Bradley payments

12.59.42pm GMT Wed 25th Feb 2009

"The other recommendations must be taken seriously"

Alliance Leader David Ford MLA has welcomed the decision by the Secretary of State Shaun Woodward to rule out the £12,000 recognition payment to victims' families proposed in the Report from the Consultative Group on the Past.

David Ford MLA said: "I welcome the Secretary of State's decision to rule out this payment plan. It did not sit well with the other recommendations of the Eames-Bradley report.

"The payment issue was severely undermining the good aspects of the report. There is a need to recognise the suffering of victims' families, but such payments were not the right way to do so.

"At a recent meeting with the Secretary of State, we urged him to say no to the recognition payments but urged him to continue discussions on the other 30 recommendations within the report.

"It is clear that there was major opposition to these payments from a broad spectrum of groups through Northern Ireland. Now that this matter has been ruled out, all parties must examine the other recommendations in the Eames-Bradley report with an open mind. A number of the proposals could be of real benefit to the reconciliation process. They must be given serious consideration in order to help Northern Ireland move towards a shared future."