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Collusion and protection

01 January 1991

Collusion and protection
artdoc July=1994

The Northern Ireland Office is maintaining its refusal of home
protection grants to known targets of loyalist assassination
attempts. In May Belfast Councillor Robert Lavery, whose son was
shot dead in a loyalist attack on his home, was granted judicial
review of the NIO's refusal to give him a grant on the ground of
his Sinn Fein membership.The reason for refusing the grant was
spelt out clearly by the NIO:`the Secretary of State believes
that it would be illogical and improper to expend public monies
on the provision of special security measures to protect from
terrorist attack persons who themselves are members of a party
which supports terrorist violence or, at the very least, does not
condemn or criticise such violence.' The judge found nothing
wrong with this sentiment, but granted the order on the basis
that the NIO was obliged to consider the personal circumstances
of each applicant. During the hearing the criteria for
eligibility for the protection grants became clear for the first
time: only those individuals whose death or injury `could damage
or seriously undermine the democratic framework of government in
northern Ireland or the effective administration of government
and/or the criminal justice systems or the maintenance of law and
order' qualify.
In re Robert Lavery's Application, May 1994.

Statewatch, vol 4 no 3, May-June 1994