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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Jobs go at Troubles murder team | Jobs go at Troubles murder team |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The special police team set up to investigate murders during the troubles is to make 75 staff redundant because of a funding shortage. | The special police team set up to investigate murders during the troubles is to make 75 staff redundant because of a funding shortage. |
| The Historical Enquiries Team was set-up in 2005 with a budget of £34m over six years. | The Historical Enquiries Team was set-up in 2005 with a budget of £34m over six years. |
| Staff were told of the planned job cuts on Thursday. | Staff were told of the planned job cuts on Thursday. |
| They received emails informing them that the budget for next year was not sufficient for the team to operate at current staffing numbers. | They received emails informing them that the budget for next year was not sufficient for the team to operate at current staffing numbers. |
| It is understood that the budget allocation for the next financial year is about £2.5m less than it cost to operate the team during the past 12 months. | It is understood that the budget allocation for the next financial year is about £2.5m less than it cost to operate the team during the past 12 months. |
| The news comes just two weeks after job losses seemed to have been avoided when the Northern Ireland Office announced that it would provide an additional £1.5m for the rest of this financial year. | The news comes just two weeks after job losses seemed to have been avoided when the Northern Ireland Office announced that it would provide an additional £1.5m for the rest of this financial year. |
| The DUP MP, Jeffrey Donaldson said it will impact on families who are relying on the Historical Enquiries Team. | |
| "It seems that there is a hierarchy of victims here," he said. | |
| "We've got on the one hand, somewhere approaching £200m spent on the Saville Inquiry, but we have hundreds of unsolved murder cases being reviewed by the HET and yet the amount available to them is much less." | |
| Staff were told that the 75 jobs would go early in 2009, and have been asked to register expressions of interest in taking voluntary redundancy. | Staff were told that the 75 jobs would go early in 2009, and have been asked to register expressions of interest in taking voluntary redundancy. |
| It is understood that the team will lobby the government for additional funding. | It is understood that the team will lobby the government for additional funding. |
| The Commission for Victims and Survivors challenged the government to prove its commitment to dealing with the past. | |
| "We hear weekly from people who have become deeply frustrated at the length of time HET takes to complete its investigations. This news will only make it worse," said Commissioner Mike Nesbitt. | |
| A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office said the government was "fully committed" to the work of the HET. | A spokesperson for the Northern Ireland Office said the government was "fully committed" to the work of the HET. |
| "A total budget of £38.3m which includes a substantial budget of £5.9m for 2009/2010 clearly demonstrates this," she said. | "A total budget of £38.3m which includes a substantial budget of £5.9m for 2009/2010 clearly demonstrates this," she said. |
| "It is a matter for the Historical Enquiries Team how they structure and staff their work." | "It is a matter for the Historical Enquiries Team how they structure and staff their work." |