All families of N. Ireland Troubles may be compensated
By politics.co.uk staff
Families of all those killed during the Trouble in Northern Ireland could be paid £12,000 in compensation, including members of paramilitary groups.
The Consultative Group on the Past (CPG), set up to advise on how to deal with the legacy, is expected to recommend to the government that all victims should be entitled to the same amount of payment, even if they were members of paramilitary organisations.
The CPG will publish its report next week advising the government to not discriminate against families that were killed during the Irish Troubles.
If the government accept the recommendation, the cost would be an estimated £40 million.
Under this proposal, the family of Thomas Beglry, the IRA Shankill bomber, would receive the same amount of compensation for his death as those of the families of the nine people he killed.
The group is also expected to recommend creating a five-year legacy commission to deal with the past, which will be appointed by both the British and Irish governments.
It may also recommend that no further public inquiries take place.
The Irish government will be asked to contribute to the £300 million bill for implementing all of the CPG’s recommendations.
The Northern Ireland troubles cost the lives of more than 3,000 people.
