Relatives of Troubles' victims welcome fund

Relatives of people killed during the North's Troubles today welcomed a €3m fund set up by the Government.

The money – allocated to those south of the border – is one of the Government’s obligations under the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Among those expected to benefit are relatives of the 1974 Dublin and Monaghan bombings and the Dublin and Dundalk bombings in 1972.

Gregg O’Neill, spokesman for Justice for the Forgotten – representing victims of the Dublin/Monaghan bombings – said the fund was “hugely welcomed“.

“We are very gratified by the announcement, this is a significant amount,” Mr O’Neill said.

“Justice for the Forgotten has been making submissions for the last two years to establish a victims’ trust.

“It will take possibly another couple of months to get the legislation enacted to get the fund up and running.

“But the fact that is has been set up is hugely welcomed.”

He said the fact that the fund was set up on a statutory basis was extremely important.

Margaret Urwin, also from Justice for the Forgotten, said she was delighted by the news.

“We have fought for this for three and a half years and we have lobbied politicians across all the parties,” she said.

“Reams and reams of paper have gone between our group and the Department for Justice. We have really kept the pressure on.

“Certainly we are welcoming it, we are really delighted about it.”

Relatives of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, which happened on the same night in May 1974, will be just one group to benefit from the new fund.

Northern Ireland saw the biggest loss of life in the history of the Troubles when two loyalist car bombs exploded in central Dublin, killing 26 people, and another exploded in the border town of Monaghan, killing seven.

The money will be distributed through the Remembrance Fund Commission, which is due to be established on a statutory basis shortly.