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16/10/2007
Assembly Rounds On Minister As Loyalist Cash Halted
While today’s announcement by Assembly Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie to call a halt to a loyalist initiative that was to have been funded with £1.2m of government cash was widely anticipated, the reaction of her Assembly colleagues wasn’t.
Finance Minister Peter Robinson accused her of being in breach of the ministerial code, claiming she had "ignored" the government's own legal advice and "might be acting beyond her legal powers" in stopping the Conflict Transformation Initiative.
So great was the rift that the Assembly suspended it’s sitting whilst legal advice was sought on the matter.
The evident division between Ms Ritchie and her colleagues has been seen as one of the most bitter and personal splits within the executive since devolution was restored.
The issue came to a head after the 60-day deadline for the paramilitary Ulster Defence Association (UDA) to begin giving up guns expired.
In a statement, Ms Ritchie said the actions of the UDA had meant the retention of the CTI originally proposed by Peter Hain could not be justified.
"The UDA's fractious nature means, at this time the organisation is unable to meet the objectives of the Conflict Transformation Initiative.
"The CTI project can no longer be justified and I propose to end it immediately," she said.
(BMcC)
Finance Minister Peter Robinson accused her of being in breach of the ministerial code, claiming she had "ignored" the government's own legal advice and "might be acting beyond her legal powers" in stopping the Conflict Transformation Initiative.
So great was the rift that the Assembly suspended it’s sitting whilst legal advice was sought on the matter.
The evident division between Ms Ritchie and her colleagues has been seen as one of the most bitter and personal splits within the executive since devolution was restored.
The issue came to a head after the 60-day deadline for the paramilitary Ulster Defence Association (UDA) to begin giving up guns expired.
In a statement, Ms Ritchie said the actions of the UDA had meant the retention of the CTI originally proposed by Peter Hain could not be justified.
"The UDA's fractious nature means, at this time the organisation is unable to meet the objectives of the Conflict Transformation Initiative.
"The CTI project can no longer be justified and I propose to end it immediately," she said.
(BMcC)
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