Ministers announce plans for the establishment of a new Victims & Survivors Service

First Minister Rt Hon Peter Robinson MLA and deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MP, MLA have announced their plans for the establishment of a new Victims and Survivors Service following consultation late last year.

Since the completion of the consultation exercise discussions have been taking place with the OFMDFM Committee and the Commission for Victims and Survivors. Taking account of these views and the responses to the consultation, all of the strands of work required to establish the new Service have been identified. An agreed Project Management structure has also been agreed.

First Minister Peter Robinson said: “A Steering Group has been set up to oversee the design and implementation of the new Service. In addition to this seven working groups will be convened to take forward the key strands of work on individual assessments, organisational structure, standards, service delivery, management information systems, victims groups interaction and communication. Once the design of the new Service has been agreed we will move into implementation.”

The deputy First Minister added: “We want to ensure that our new Victims and Survivors Service is fit for purpose and will deliver for those most affected by our past. By involving the sector on our Steering Group and working groups we believe we can achieve this. We do not underestimate the scale of the challenge ahead of us but feel that we have the correct structures in place to rise to it and take forward this important piece of work. “

In closing the First Minister and deputy First Minister emphasised that more funding than ever before has been made available to address the needs of victims and survivors. The establishment of a Victims and Survivors Service is an important part of that.

A ‘next steps’ bulletin will issue shortly. This will be distributed throughout the victims sector and to other interested parties and will provide more detail on how the establishment of the Service is progressing.

Notes to editors:

1. A Next Steps bulletin will be available in the coming weeks and can be obtained by contacting the Victims Unit of OFMDFM at the following address:

2. The bulletin will also be available for download from the OFMDFM website

3. A two-year time frame for the introduction of the Service has been agreed. Within this overall timeframe, a phased approach to the Service’s introduction will be adopted with individual assessments coming first during 2011 followed by victims groups interaction in 2012. This timeline complements the recently announced two year transitional funding arrangements for victims groups.

4. All media enquiries to OFMDFM Press Office on 028 9052 1375. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.