Unique Research reveals the forgotten needs of those physically injured victims of the Troubles and their families

Thursday 17 May 2012

The study commissioned by the WAVE Trauma Centre  was set up to explore the needs of those physically injured as a result of the Troubles and was undertaken by Professor Marie Breen Smyth from the University of Surrey and funded by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister through the Community Relations Council.

The study is ground breaking and for the first time provides estimates of how many people have been injured, the extent of their needs and shortfall in services to meet their needs.

The main findings of the study are:

•Many people who lost limbs and sustained other severe injuries feel forgotten after the peace process, compounded by Government Reports and initiatives such as the Bradley Eames Report and the remit of the Historic Enquiry Team processes which both exclude assistance to the injured.

•Financial compensation for their injuries has long since been exhausted and led to almost universal dependency on benefits. The current welfare reform has lead to high levels of anxiety and has huge implications for many particularly given the obstacles they would face in finding employment if refused benefits.

•In the past, those who were able and attempted to re-enter the workforce faced disability discrimination, preventing them from pursuing economically active lives as full members of society.
 
•A lack of pension rights due to past difficulties such as prejudice when trying to enter the work-force;

On-going struggle with pain management and a sense of not having their pain taken seriously;  Encountering a ‘no smoke without fire’ prejudice if they were shot in the Troubles, based on an erroneous assumption that they must have been doing something to deserve being shot or attacked in many cases there were no prosecutions of those who caused the injury.  Some injured people encounter the perpetrator in their local area, causing increased levels of distress.

The key recommendations of the study are:

•Provision of support services to injured civilians must be on a par with those provided to security force personnel.  

•The kind of service provided by the NI Memorial Fund which provides practical assistance should be retained and extended.

•Psychological support for those injured should come from a service provider capable of working with people with multiple needs.

•Top up payments for those whose original compensation settlement was inadequate for their changing needs must be considered.

•Guaranteed minimum income safety net to be adopted with regard to welfare benefits.

•Pension rights for people injured in the Troubles should be reviewed as a matter of urgency. Urgent consideration should be given to the provision of  a special pension for those injured in the Troubles, backdated to the date of the Agreement, in order to ensure their financial security and allay their anxieties about their ability to meet basic living costs;  

•Urgent attention should be devoted to the ability of carers of those injured in the Troubles to acquire retirement pension rights commensurate with the value of the work of caring and the savings they deliver to the public purse in undertaking caring duties. Here, too, any provision should be backdated to the date of the Agreement;

•Historic Enquiry Team to look at cases where injury only was the result.

Professor Marie Breen-Smyth, Chair in International Politics at the University of Surrey, and author of the report said: “When we think of the impact of violence, very often we focus on those killed. Yet for those injured, the effects of their injuries last for the rest of their lives, and also impacts on the lives of their families and carers.

“This is the first study of its kind to focus on injury but we hope to conduct further work investigating injury, since we are conscious that there are people injured in the Northern Ireland conflict amongst the population of England, Scotland and Wales. Many injured people feel forgotten, and we hope our work will focus attention on their situation.”

The findings of the study will be launched on Thursday 17th May 2012 at the Brain Injury Unit in Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast at 1.30pm.

The launch will be preceded at 11am on Thursday 17th May when representatives from WAVE’s Injured Support Group will present a petition of 10,000 signatures at Stormont to representatives from each of the political parties.  On Monday 21st May at 12md representatives of the injured group will present the petition at No 10 Downing Street and at the Dail as part of their campaign for recognition for injured people.

Jennifer McNern, a member of this group, said: For too long people living with serious disability, as a result of the conflict, have had limited recognition.  They live with physical pain and discomfort especially as they grow older. Only recently the Bradley Eames Report completely ignored those living with physical disabilities.  This much need research, will fill that gap and inform Government, thus helping them to make much needed and urgent policy decisions.”

Carers represented a central theme throughout the study and in particular the lack of support available, the impact of caring 24/7 for family members who were suffering often very debilitating physical injuries coupled with psychological difficulties too.

Linda Bunting, who represents carers, commented: “My husband was blown up in a bomb in 1991 and lost a leg and part of another leg.  I am still caring for him 20 years on.  I had to leave my job to look after him and rear 2 children.  If my husband died tomorrow I would be unable to receive a carers benefit that I am currently receiving – I have no right to any financial benefit even though I have given up work to care for him – this cannot be right and I hope that this research casts a spotlight on this.”

Mark Kelly, who chaired the Advisory Group for the research study, added: “The research study is essential as the findings of this research will advise government in a practical way about how to address the needs of injured people. This was a much needed, long overdue research study and the findings coupled with the campaign for recognition need to be reviewed by Government as a matter of urgency."

“It has often been acknowledged that for a society to fully reconcile itself with the past it must address the needs of those affected greatly by the conflict. The injured and their families report feeling forgotten and it is hoped that this much needed research will focus attention on their situation.“

Editors' Notes

The Campaign for Recognition for the Injured has drawn 10,000 signatures from across Northern Ireland over the last year as the Injured Group held campaign signing days in towns across Northern Ireland. Spokespeople for each of the Groups presenting the Petitions at Stormont, the Dail or London are available through the contacts below.

WAVE is a regional voluntary organisation that provides support services across the community from 5 dedicated Outreach Centres to those who have been bereaved, injured or traumatized as a result of the Troubles.

The research study was funded by the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister through the Strategic Support Fund administered by the Community Relations Council for NI. The Community Relations Council promotes a pluralist society characterized by equity, respect for diversity and inter dependence. The views expressed therefore in the research do not necessarily reflect those of the Community Relations Council.

Jennifer McNern lost both her legs in a bomb in the Abercorn Restaurant in 1972, in which her sister Rosaleen also lost both legs, an arm and the sight in one eye. Linda Bunting is a carer for her husband who lost a leg and part of his other leg in a bomb explosion in 1991.

Linda Bunting is a carer for her husband who lost a leg and part of his other leg in a car bomb in 1991.

Mark Kelly MBE is Chair of the Research Advisory Committee. Mark was injured in 1976 in a no warning bomb losing both legs.

Media Enquiries

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