A new report reveals the substantial financial burden associated with dealing with the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The Policy Exchange think tank estimates that the cost has already reached £601 million and projects a total exceeding £2 billion.
The financial burden of addressing the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland has reached at least £601 million, according to a right-wing think tank. A bereavement scheme , aimed at providing financial support to those bereaved by the conflict, is currently not a policy of the Northern Ireland Executive due to political disagreements over eligibility criteria.
The Policy Exchange think tank's figures, adjusted to 2024 prices, encompass expenditures already incurred on inquiries, inquests, court cases, and investigations. The estimated total cost, exceeding £2 billion, comprises roughly £1 billion spent previously and a projected £1 billion in future costs. Previous expenditure includes the Bloody Sunday Inquiry, conducted in 2010. Inflation and currency conversion have inflated the cost by approximately £100 million when recalculated to 2024 values. The report also considers aspects of police, Northern Ireland Office, and Police Ombudsman budgets, arguing that these constitute essential operational expenses. It further includes a £514 million proposal for bereavement payments, which remains unapproved and is absent from Stormont's programme for government.The report's authors have also projected future costs associated with the Omagh Bombing Inquiry and the public inquiry into the killing of Pat Finucane. A UK government spokesperson refuted the report's claims, stating, 'We do not recognise the basis of the figures for any future costs in this report, which are entirely speculative.' In a foreword to the paper, former Conservative Chancellor Jeremy Hunt expressed, 'If the additional sums being committed by this government to legacy matters were genuinely helping to bring about peace and reconciliation, the country would pay them cheerfully. But there is scant evidence that this is the case; indeed, scant evidence that such factors are even being considered. Rather, the approach to legacy appears at times to be being dictated by a maximalist approach to legalism, without regard to the underlying benefits or costs.' Jeffrey Dudgeon, a prominent figure in Northern Ireland's political landscape, argued that the current system lacks cost-consciousness and is driven by political motivations rather than genuine needs. He emphasized the importance of considering financial implications and the potential impact of amnesties on victims' families
Northern Ireland Troubles Legacy Costs Policy Exchange Bereavement Scheme Inquiries Inquests Court Cases Political Division
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