Survivors and victims of institutional abuse protest at City Hall

Copyright belongs to Clipstorm/ The Belfast Telegraph

By Kirsten Elder

Institutional child abuse victims gathered at the gates of Belfast City Hall on Friday to demand justice from warring politicians who have failed to deliver a promised apology and financial redress.
Victims of historical child abuse in Northern Ireland have been told they will not receive promised financial compensation for at least another 10 months because of the political crisis.
Financial payments were promised to victims more than a year ago.
Politicians have warned that many have been left suicidal or facing financial ruin as the current Stormont impasse means that the findings and recommendations of a four-year inquiry into State and Church abuse have still not been presented to the Assembly.
The report, which was published just days before the Assembly collapsed in January, promised victims State-backed compensation payments of up to £100,000.
Victims and government bodies were advised in November 2015 that the report would be recommending financial redress.
However, the failure of the two largest parties - DUP and Sinn Fein - to form a power-sharing administration has meant the inquiry's recommendations have not been implemented.
Patrick Corrigan, director of Amnesty International in Northern Ireland, said: "Victims of institutional child abuse have had to wait all their lives for justice. Now they are being asked to wait even longer because there is no government in place to act on the recommendations.
"We are calling for this issue to be prioritised and be part of the agenda of the talks and for delivery to follow when devolution returns."