Kilcooley Paramiltary Memorials In Focus

Continuing controversy over the erection of a paramilitary memorial on a public housing estate has again been underlined.

Concerns raised in 2009 about the use of taxpayers' money to fund the loyalist commeration have not been addressed and the 'hot potato' now passed to the new Executive Minister responsible.

Although there has been praise for ongoing work on the regeneration of the Kilcooley Estate in Bangor, Stormont Executive Minister Alex Attwood has used the occasion of a visit to the Co Down seaside town to see at first hand the work being done to regenerate the area as an opportunity to call for a resolution to the memorial problem.

While the nationalist MLA and Social Development Minister said he commended the Kilcooley Community Forum, the Kilcooley Women's Centre, Bangor Alternatives and the Kilcooley Neighbourhood Partnership for their hard work and coordination, he commented: "There are issues that still need to be resolved, including the erection of paramilitary memorials. I repeat that this should be rectified and I shall press for this to happen."

However, during yesterday's visit, the Minister did met with local residents and community workers and heard them speak of the confidence and hopes they had for the future.

Afterwards, Minister Attwood said: "I am committed, through my Department's Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, to make a difference to the lives of people in the most disadvantaged estates such as Kilcooley. I want to target resources in a way that has maximum impact and I want to work with communities to achieve that.

"Much of the good work in Kilcooley would not have been possible without the intervention of my Department. It has, since 2005, invested almost £4 million on a range of projects brought forward through the Neighbourhood Renewal and housing improvement programmes."

Last year, anger greeted a decision to reward £70,000 of public money to fund the paramilitary memorial garden in the notorious estate when the then Ulster Unionist MP Lady Sylvia Hermon (now Independent) told of her outrage after discovering the Department of Social Development (DSD) itself had funded a loyalist memorial garden in Kilcooley.

The DSD admitted at the time that it was "concerned" about the inclusion of the paramilitary memorials, which it claimed were not part of the original proposal and said, "it was looking into the matter".

The opening of the £70,000 Garden of Reflectionn was even attended by loyalists and three colour parties representing the UVF, the UDA and the Red Hand Commando, who laid wreaths.

Speaking after the garden dedication, Lady Sylvia said: "Outrageous - that was my immediate and abiding reaction to the news that thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money had been spent on a memorial garden in Kilcooley."

Now that Minister Attwood has taken over from party colleague the ex-Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie the problem has been left to him to resolve as nothing has been done since the matter came to light in 2009.

Speaking at the time, Minister Ritchie - who is now the SDLP's leader - said: "I can't pretend that I'm anything other than furious with the priority given to a garden, over and above improving the living conditions of the elderly and deserving in the area."

The Co Down estate has long been the focus of attempts at regeneration, as far back as 2004 when, prior to devolution, when the Northern Ireland Office Minister responsible took interest in regeneration.

See: Spellar visits Bangor’s Kilcooley estate

(BMcC/GK)