Statement by North Antrim MLA Jim Allister:
“Yesterday the Assembly appointed Margaret Kelly as the new Public Service Ombudsman. In the debate on her appointment I highlighted the fact that she has a right to self-initiate investigations and said Ms Kelly should immediately begin one into events in Belfast City Council. It is clear that there was selective preference given to one family, that of Bobby Storey, in contrast to other eight other families on the very day he was cremated who were denied the same treatment. That is blatant maladministration and it needs to be addressed.
“I would urge the eight families who were discriminated against in this fashion to make formal complaints to both the council and Ms Kelly.
“Furthermore, I believe the families should lodge a formal complaint with the Equality Commission. Section 75 of the 1998 Northern Ireland Act makes it clear that public authorities like Belfast City Council “need to promote equality of opportunity between persons of different … political opinion.” The Council has accepted that there was not equality of treatment for all those cremated last Tuesday. There is more than a suspicion that one family was given different treatment because of their political connections. I believe those families have a very strong case to lodge a complaint against the council.
“Was the change of policy for Mr Storey’s cremation and him alone subject to an Equality Impact Assessment? I very much doubt if it was but it is time the Council came clean on this important point.”