Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

On the matter raised by Deputy Ó Caoláin, from 2003 to 2008 the Remembrance Commission operated the scheme of acknowledgement, remembrance and assistance for victims in this jurisdiction of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Under the scheme, payments were made to groups offering support services to victims of the conflict and under this element of the scheme, payments were made to Justice for the Forgotten for the purpose of meeting the counselling and other needs of victims or their family members.

During the period of operation of the scheme, Justice for the Forgotten received a total of €1.2 million of the €1.5 million allocated for victim support services and was the only recipient of money under this heading. In addition, the organisation had received more than €890,000 from my Department in the period 2000 to 2003.

The term of appointment of the Remembrance Commission came to an end on 31 October 2008 and funding under the scheme ended at that stage. Nevertheless, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform decided at that time to grant further funding to Justice for the Forgotten totalling €190,300 to enable it continue to operate while seeking to put alternative funding options in place.

Officials from that Department met with Justice for the Forgotten on a number of occasions and met with them again last June to apprise them of the position and to confirm that our first priority is to ensure that those victims who require ongoing medical treatment for injuries sustained in bombings and other incidents arising from the conflict in Northern Ireland will continue to be provided for.

The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform has made special arrangements to have these costs provided by his Department through the Victims of Crime Office.

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