Tri-Service

Northern Ireland Executive “Turning A Blind Eye” To Veterans

An Ulster Unionist MLA who served in the Iraq War claims the Northern Ireland Executive is “turning a blind eye” to the needs of veterans.

Doug Beattie, a retired British Army captain, said the response of the First and Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland to a written question about the Armed Forces Covenant was “staggering” in its failure to address the needs of the veterans.

The covenant is a government promise to take care of former members of the armed forces.

It was brought into law as part of the Armed Forces Act 2011.

Mr Beattie’s letter asked what systems were in place to make charities and community groups aware of the funding available for supporting the veterans and if the Executive would appoint a representative to the Armed Forces Covenant Reference Group.

Former Army Captain and current member of the Army Reserve, Doug Beattie.

He was told the Covenant had “not been adopted here” and no agreement to appoint a representative to the Covenant Reference Group had been made.

Sinn Féin and the SDLP have previously said they are opposed to what has been described as "preferential treatment" for former soldiers.

Mr Beattie describes the response as “staggering in its total failure to address the needs of veterans in Northern Ireland”.

He said:

“As the Armed Forces Covenant was instigated throughout the United Kingdom in 2011 and Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom, then simple geography, and the fact Armed Forces issues are not devolved, will tell you the Armed Forces Covenant is here, but the Executive is turning a blind eye to delivering it.”

“To that end I make a simple plea to the First Ministers. If you cannot – or worse still, will not – deliver the Armed Forces Covenant in Northern Ireland, or even participate in the Covenant Reference Group, then get out of the way and allow the Opposition to engage. Our Veterans don’t want advantage; they just want to be treated fairly and not be disadvantaged because of their service.”