Former soldiers of UDR and RIR will benefit from new Welfare Services - Elliott
Ulster Unionist Assembly member for Fermanagh & South Tyrone and former serving member of Ulster Defence Regiment, Tom Elliott MLA has welcomed the announcement that a new welfare services worth £2m a year service to help them deal with the legacy of the Troubles.
Tom said: “This is part of the commitment made by Government as far back as 2006 when as part of the redundancy that a welfare package should be established to help full and part time RIR members resettle, retrain and find new employment and help adjust to a civilian life.
Through all the dark days of the troubles the men and women of the UDR and the RIR Home Service, supported by their families, protected our society from those who sought to impose their will through the ways of terror. Many of these soldiers lived in remote border areas and had to remain vigilant 24 hours everyday, just to survive from an ever present threat from terrorists
One of the key elements of the disbandment programme is an after care system that will be available to some 60,000 men and women who served in the UDR and RIR , as well as their families who for many years felt as if their contribution and sacrifices were forgotten. Today our thoughts and prayers are especially with the families and comrades of the 274 serving and former UDR and RIR Home Service personnel who paid the ultimate sacrifice defending our society. I feel so often that our Government fail to recognise the huge contribution that our armed forces give throughout the world, whether in Northern Ireland, Iraq or Afghanistan and it is only fitting after all these years that we now have in place a package which can assist former soldiers to treat them and their families with fairness and dignity.”