Funds secured for HIA inquiry

By Ken Reid
UTV
July 21, 2014

http://www.u.tv/News/Funds-secured-for-HIA-inquiry/709e8fde-a659-41bd-8c2c-6f3fc9c3a82a

First Minister Peter Robinson had said on Friday that the inquiry's work could be suspended if the Executive failed to agree on budget adjustments.

He said the June Monitoring Round is yet to be signed off due to ongoing disagreement over welfare reform.

Prior to the funding being secured, victims expressed their anger at Stormont on Monday in response to the First Minister's comments.

Margaret McGuckin, from Survivors and Victims of Institutional Abuse (SAVIA), said that while they were given some reassurance that the inquiry would be funded, the initial comments were "inhuman and abusive".

"We let them know that we're very very angry, it's living through this nightmare. It was very unkind, it was untimely, it was uncalled for," she said.

"We still want Peter Robinson to retract that statement, come out with an apology, tell him to put his hands up and just let us know that he will work for the better good of the victims."

She said she had been contacted by others concerned about the timing, particularly after claims about Kincora Boys' Home had been highlighted in the media.

Allegations MI5 knew about, but ignored the abuse taking place there in the 1970s have led to calls for it to be included in a UK-wide child abuse inquiry

"Are they trying to close the whole inquiry down because of revelations [that include] the British establishment, MI5 and maybe from the heart of our own government here - is there a cover up? This is what I'm getting," Ms McGuckin said.

Former residents of Kincora in east Belfast were among the delegation who attended Stormont.

Clint Massey, who went to the home in 1973, said: "It took me all the courage that I had to actually contact the inquiry team and now that this pettiness from leaders of our government - it's not good for me at all.

"I'm not the strongest person.

"I do wish they would sit round the table and talk to each other and don't mess us about."

He added: "I do wonder at times, [what] did I go to the inquiry for if it's going to get halted?"

It is understood the First and deputy First Minister have held talks to resolve the situation.

UUP leader Mike Nesbitt, who chairs the OFDMDFM committee, said they had discussed the issue with the leaders in recent weeks and had been given no reason to believe the inquiry would not receive the necessary funding.

He commented: "It's a very easy thing to do, it just takes the five parties of the executive to sit down and agree to ring-fence £4m - 0.004% of the entire Northern Ireland Executive budget."