Alliance 'Deeply Concerned' Over Pace Of HIA Redress Scheme

The Alliance Party has raised concerns over the rate of progress on the redress scheme for Historical Institutional Abuse of children.

The party's Executive Office spokesperson, Paula Bradshaw MLA, has called on the First and deputy First Minister (FMdFM) must meet victims and survivors urgently over memorialisation and other issues.

The South Belfast MLA has said: "The evidence we heard yesterday at Committee concerning facilitation towards attaining redress from the institutions responsible for child abuse was, frankly, extremely worrying for victims and survivors.

"It's widely understood that there has not been significant urgency in delivering financial redress, as well as concern that facilitators may be placing too great an emphasis on the interests of the institutions who carried out the abuse rather than on the interests of the victims and survivors. "On top of this, victims and survivors are being repeatedly hindered in their attempts to meet with FMdFM concerning an appropriate memorial as recommended in Sir Anthony Hart's Inquiry Report, and this needs addressed urgently.

"Memorialisation is a fundamental part of redress, yet it remains incomplete eight years after the Inquiry Report's launch and six years after victims and survivors started a dedicated campaign for funding for it.

"There is also strength of feeling that any proposals from the Executive Office have been extremely underwhelming, having been consulted upon too narrowly. There should be no greater priority for the First and deputy First Minister than meeting victims and survivors of the most appalling abuse to agree a plan for appropriate redress, including appropriate memorial.

"It is time for an end to the fine words about putting victims first, and for the start of a change in policy and approach which will truly put them first. That can start with the First and deputy First Minister making clear what they are prioritising, getting on with the process of meeting victims and survivors, and delivering on all aspects of redress - including proper memorialisation and preparing legislation to compel financial contributions where necessary."