No package good enough for Royal Irish - Burnside
Responding to the package announced for the Royal Irish today, UUP MLA for South Antrim and Defence spokesman David Burnisde said,
“The Royal Irish package whilst it has been improved upon from some of the earlier proposals discussed within the MoD, goes some way to giving financial security to soon-to-be-redundant members of the Royal Irish Home Battalions but it does not go far enough in their recognition of their service and contribution to peace in the province.
It would appear the MoD is not making any provision for the Benevolent Fund. There should have been a one-off contribution to help look after the widows and relatives of those who gave their lives or were injured in the UDR and the Royal Irish.
In addition to the package the MoD decision to end the life of the Home Service Battalions of the Royal Irish is a bad security policy. Since 1920 Ulster has had a locally recruited armed back up to the civil power - the B Specials, UDR and Home Service Royal Irish. You do not secure the peace by letting down your guard against future threat.
We suggested to the MoD that there could be a Home Service element within the Territorial Army in the province. Whilst Adam Ingram, the Armed Forces Minister, accepted that was legally possible he has refused to go down that route - again, a blinkered and bad decision.
We will continue to campaign for a Home Service locally recruited armed back up to be permanently available to support the police.
It is a shame that this Government that fights wars against non-existent weapons of mass destruction in Iraq is not prepared to retain a strong security policy at home in our part of the United Kingdom.”