Sinn Féin gets back government allowances

19/10/2005 - 13:06:26
Sinn Féin will have almost £120,000 (€176,417) in Stormont Assembly allowances restored by the British government following the latest report on paramilitary activity, it was confirmed today.

Following the release of a new report by the Independent Monitoring Commission, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain said the allowances would be restored to the party on November 1.

And he also said a recommendation would be made to MPs to restore the party’s Westminster allowances, which were also withdrawn following previous IMC reports which showed IRA members carried out the murder of Belfast father of two Robert McCartney and a number of robberies including last December’s Northern Bank heist.

In today’s report, the IMC said initial signs were encouraging that the IRA was honouring its July 28 pledge to end its armed campaign.