SF angered by £20m offer to former RUC men

Sinn Féin has expressed anger at an apparent agreement by the British Government to pay £20m (€22m) to former part-time RUC officers.

The party says it has received a copy of a letter sent from British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to DUP leader Peter Robinson outlining details of the payment.

Sinn Féin says the move is a blatant ploy to "buy off" DUP support for the devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont.

Party spokesman Gerry Kelly says this brings the effort to transfer policing powers from London to the North into disrepute and is a waste of taxpayers' money at a time of economic downturn.

He says it also flies in the face of the British government's decision to veto a recommendation from the Eames-Bradley commission that everybody bereaved during the Troubles should receive a payment in recognition of their hurt.