Commissioner to help victims of Troubles

A commissioner will be appointed to assist the victims of Northern Ireland’s Troubles, the British government announced today.

Northern Secretary Paul Murphy said the move was part of a “tailored approach” to dealing with the past.

In a written statement, he said: “I believe this is necessary both to ensure a real focus on the needs of victims and survivors of the Troubles in Northern Ireland and to ensure that their voices continue to be heard and respected.”

He said the commissioner would play a “pivotal role” in promoting the interests of those who had suffered and in setting up a Victims and Survivors Forum.