Givan hits back at meetings with a group linked to loyalist paramilitaries

Education Minister Paul Givan has accused political parties, which criticized his meeting with a group linked to loyalist paramilitaries, of hypocrisy.

During heated debate in the Assembly, Mr Givan referred to members of his own family who had worked in the H Blocks of the Maze prison, saying he would make no apologies for trying to “move every part of our society forward.” to help.”

Mr Givan attacked the SDLP, the Alliance Party and Sinn Fein when asked again to justify his meeting with the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) last month.

The LCC is an umbrella group representing the Ulster Volunteer Force, Ulster Defense Association and Red Hand Commando.

Following their meeting with the Education Secretary, the LCC said it had advised him to drop a proposal to build an Irish language school in East Belfast.

Mr Givan and DUP ministerial colleague Gordon Lyons have both been criticized for holding separate meetings with the LCC.

The issue was raised during ministerial questions by Opposition Leader Matthew O’Toole, who asked Mr Givan how many organizations he had refused to meet since taking office.

The minister said: “I have received invitations to meet with schools, individuals and many organisations.

“I have accepted 324 and fulfilled hundreds, including visits to many schools and community facilities representing every part of our society.

“Given the large demands on my agenda, it would not be possible to meet every request.”

SDLP MLA Mr O’Toole said a “large number of organisations” had been refused meetings.

He said: “What would you say to those who are shocked to see you refusing to meet with them but accepting meetings with an umbrella group linked to paramilitary organisations?”

Mr Givan said: “I will not make any apology for ensuring that we try to move every part of our society forward.

“Unlike its previous leader, the late John Hume, I do have concerns and share some of the concerns that people have expressed.

“When John Hume embraced Gerry Adams and Sinn Fein when the IRA was up to their necks killing people in our country. John’s Hume’s answer was, ‘I don’t care two scoops of toasted snow’ what you think.

“However, I have concerns and share those concerns, but I will continue to work in every community to bring them forward.”

Alliance MLA Nick Mathison has asked the minister to provide an assessment of the extent to which he believes the LCC represents the views of paramilitary organisations.

Mr Givan said: “Just because you’ve had a past doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a future.”

He added: “Some of the people you are critical of, I have met; my family was locked up in the Maze prison day after day.

‘Served in the H blocks, shot at going to work. My uncle took thirteen bullets while driving down the highway.

‘My father served in both the loyalist and republican wings.

“The Alliance Party and others here campaigned vociferously to get them all released.

“I campaigned against the Belfast Agreement.

“But now that the Alliance Party and others are in favor of the early release of mass murderers in our society, they criticize me and have the cheek to criticize me for wanting to move our society forward.

“I do not want to be lectured by those who are behaving in a very hypocritical manner on this matter.”

DUP MLA Jonathan Buckley said there are “members in this chamber who believe, just because they are now elected representatives, that their heinous terrorist acts and convictions are somehow justified”.

He added: “History would show that the Nazis had a similar ideology.”

Mr Givan referred to criticism of his actions by Sinn Fein MLA Pat Sheehan at Stormont’s education committee.

He said: “I was shocked to hear Pat Sheehan justify the heinous actions of the IRA on the grounds that he now has an electoral mandate.

“The election mandate does not change the fact that Pat Sheehan was a convicted terrorist for a banned organization and they will not be looked at – and those who participated will not be looked at in any other way – just because they managed to get votes to be chosen. in this house, compared to other loyalists they now criticize me for meeting them.