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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Minister stops loyalist project | Minister stops loyalist project |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has announced her intention to stop a loyalist initiative which was to get £1.2m of government funding. | Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie has announced her intention to stop a loyalist initiative which was to get £1.2m of government funding. |
| However, at the Northern Ireland assembly Finance Minister Peter Robinson accused her of being in breach of the ministerial code. | However, at the Northern Ireland assembly Finance Minister Peter Robinson accused her of being in breach of the ministerial code. |
| A 60-day deadline for the Ulster Defence Association to begin giving up guns expired last Tuesday. | A 60-day deadline for the Ulster Defence Association to begin giving up guns expired last Tuesday. |
| The deadline was set in August after repeated violence linked to the UDA. | The deadline was set in August after repeated violence linked to the UDA. |
| However, the UDA said it would adhere to its own timetable for getting rid of its weapons. | However, the UDA said it would adhere to its own timetable for getting rid of its weapons. |
| The CTI project can no longer be justified and I propose to end it immediately Margaret RitchieSocial development minister href="/1/hi/northern_ireland/7048081.stm">Tensions laid bare by debate In a statement to the assembly, Ms Ritchie said the actions of the UDA had meant the retention of the Conflict Transformation Initiative originally proposed by Peter Hain could not be justified. | |
| "The UDA's fractious nature means, at this time the organisation is unable to meet the objectives of the CTI (Conflict Transformation Initiative). | "The UDA's fractious nature means, at this time the organisation is unable to meet the objectives of the CTI (Conflict Transformation Initiative). |
| "The CTI project can no longer be justified and I propose to end it immediately," she said. | "The CTI project can no longer be justified and I propose to end it immediately," she said. |
| After Ms Ritchie finished her statement, Mr Robinson claimed she had "ignored" the government's own legal advice and "might be acting beyond her legal powers". | After Ms Ritchie finished her statement, Mr Robinson claimed she had "ignored" the government's own legal advice and "might be acting beyond her legal powers". |
| The assembly suspended its sitting for about half-an-hour whilst legal advice was sought on the matter. | The assembly suspended its sitting for about half-an-hour whilst legal advice was sought on the matter. |
| BBC Northern Ireland Political Editor Mark Devenport described the scenes in the chamber as "extraordinary". | BBC Northern Ireland Political Editor Mark Devenport described the scenes in the chamber as "extraordinary". |
| What you have is the minister pulling the rug from under our feet, saying that by reducing funding in these communities she will reduce paramilitarism - the exact opposite is the case Chris McGimpseyFarset class="" href="/1/hi/northern_ireland/7047547.stm">How cash carrot was pulled "After its honeymoon period," he said, "there have been a number of rifts within the executive, over issues like the Irish language and gay rights. | |
| "However, the evident division between the SDLP minister and her colleagues is the most bitter and personal split within the executive since devolution was restored." | "However, the evident division between the SDLP minister and her colleagues is the most bitter and personal split within the executive since devolution was restored." |
| Ms Ritchie has said she came under pressure from direct rule ministers to compromise on her deadline. | Ms Ritchie has said she came under pressure from direct rule ministers to compromise on her deadline. |
| However, Security Minister Paul Goggins said the final decision on whether to redirect £1.2m from the Conflict Transformation Initiative to other loyalist projects was hers. | However, Security Minister Paul Goggins said the final decision on whether to redirect £1.2m from the Conflict Transformation Initiative to other loyalist projects was hers. |
| The UDA insists it will decommission in its own timeChris McGimpsey of Farset, the organisation which was administering the project, said Ms Ritchie's decision would be counterproductive. | The UDA insists it will decommission in its own timeChris McGimpsey of Farset, the organisation which was administering the project, said Ms Ritchie's decision would be counterproductive. |
| "It's not a UDA issue - what we have here is a number of loyalist working class communities which are suffering from social deprivation," he said. | "It's not a UDA issue - what we have here is a number of loyalist working class communities which are suffering from social deprivation," he said. |
| "I have no love of the UDA - they've threatened to kill me twice - but Farset has been going for 25 years and has a fairly good press in both communities, trying to administer funds into areas where the UDA and other paramilitary groups are strong in an effort to seduce people away from paramilitarism. | "I have no love of the UDA - they've threatened to kill me twice - but Farset has been going for 25 years and has a fairly good press in both communities, trying to administer funds into areas where the UDA and other paramilitary groups are strong in an effort to seduce people away from paramilitarism. |
| "What you have is the minister pulling the rug from under our feet, saying that by reducing funding in these communities she will reduce paramilitarism - the exact opposite is the case." | "What you have is the minister pulling the rug from under our feet, saying that by reducing funding in these communities she will reduce paramilitarism - the exact opposite is the case." |