“There has been a very healthy response to the consultation on my Private Member’s Bill with many organisations and individuals recognising the current definition as being immoral and needing change.  I have been overwhelmed by the number of people in our society who have endorsed our work and gave positive suggestions about how to shape the Bill. 

It is morally wrong that the current definition places the perpetrator on the same footing as their innocent victims.  There should not be any moral equivalence between the Shankill bomber or the Shankill butcher and their innocent victims.  I firmly believe the massive response to our consultation reflects that opinion in society.   

This consultation has also broken down the so-called orange and green barriers in Northern Ireland, both Catholics and Protestants are showing agreement that the perpetrator of a crime should not be categorised with their victims. 

The current definition emerged from a paper produced by OFMDFM back in 2001. This definition was subsequently used by Direct Rule Ministers and included within the Victims and Survivors (NI) 2006 Order.  Once again this issue demonstrated that Direct Rule was not the panacea which some unionists want to paint.  It delivered bad and immoral legislation and numerous responses have welcomed the fact that devolved government enables us to take control of our own destiny and make changes such as this.  

To allow all responses to be received but still achieve our target of tabling the Bill before the end of this Assembly term, we will now be closing the consultation at 5pm on Friday 30th October 2009.  Whilst the initial responses have enabled us to begin drafting the Bill we would like to have all the responses so that they can be reflected in the draft Bill.” 

Notes to readers 

1.      The consultation was launched on 15th September 2009 by a hard copy of the Consultation document being sent to stakeholders.  The Party also placed an online consultation form on the DUP website. 

2.      The Party was ready to move with this Bill before the European election but we did not as we did not want to be accused of using it for the electioneering purposes. That is why we have held it back until now. 

3.      The Victims Strategy published in 2001 by the then UUP inhabited First Minister’s Office used a definition that made no distinction between innocent victim and terrorist and the Ulster Unionist Junior Minister at the time said he was “delighted to endorse its content”.   

4.      The DUP rejected the current definition whenever the Victims and Survivors ( Northern Ireland) Order 2006 when it passed Parliament in 2006.   

5.      During the debate in the Assembly on the creation of a Victims Commission, both the DUP and the UUP attempted to amend the legislation with respect to the definition of a victim.  Neither of these amendments ever made it to the floor of the Assembly and, thus, were never voted upon.  The Assembly’s own website at http://www.niassembly.gov.uk/legislation/primary/2007/nia12_07.htmshows, if ever anyone had any doubt, that these two amendments were not debated or voted on.

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