Statement by TUV leader and Euro election candidate Jim Allister:
“With less than a week to go before polling day the DUP and their European candidate Dianne Dodds has still failed to sign up to the Victims’ Contract.
“The Contract was drawn up by groups which represent a large number of innocent victims across Northern Ireland and reflects many of the concerns within this important group.
“For example, it commits those who sign up to ensuring that government documents reflect the reality that what happened during the Troubles was, in the words of the Contract, “a terrorist campaign motivated by sectarian and ethnic hatreds”. This was something missing from Haass.
“It is also very clear on the Maze Shrine: “I along with my Party give an undertaking that we will not support the development of any ‘Conflict Transformation/ Peace building Centre’ or any other project associated with the ‘Troubles’ at the former Maze prison site whilst the listed buildings connected to the former prison and hospital wing remain”.
“TUV, having campaigned for many years against the Maze shrine, has no problem with this but it seems the DUP has.
“In her full term as an MEP I am unaware of a single word from Mrs Dodds on this issue. This is exceedingly odd given that no European issue has been more debated in Northern Ireland. Remember that the centre was to be funded with European money.
“A few months ago Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness posed with shovels to announce the commencement of work at the Maze Shrine. Mrs Dodds said nothing.
“The DUP have still failed to admit that they were wrong on this issue.
“Three DUP DOE Ministers have refused to de-list the listed buildings at the Maze.
“Their failure to endorse the contract in full reinforces the suspicion in many quarters that the DUP plan to roll over on this once the elections are out of the way.”