Sinn Fein's Gerry Kelly reacts to Government guidance on victims' payments

Anyone convicted of causing serious harm during the Troubles should not be eligible for victims’ compensation payments, new Government guidance states. Those with a recent terrorism conviction of any sort will also be unable to access the money, according to the guidance. The guiding principles to determine eligibility have been published amid an ongoing political standoff over the implementation of the long-delayed scheme to support those physically or psychologically injured during the Troubles. Sinn Fein has refused to proceed with implementation, by designating a Stormont department to administer the scheme, because it believes the Government’s approach could exclude thousands of injured people from the republican community who were involved in the conflict.