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| Government funds loyalist garden | Government funds loyalist garden |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The Department of Social Development has part-funded a "garden of reflection" in Bangor in which loyalist paramilitaries are honoured. | The Department of Social Development has part-funded a "garden of reflection" in Bangor in which loyalist paramilitaries are honoured. |
| The project in the Kilcooley estate was supposed to be linked to the removal of loyalist murals and graffiti. | |
| Three black stones bear inscriptions dedicated to the "glorious memory" of the UDA, UVF, and Red Hand Commando. | |
| The DSD said the paramilitary plinths were "not in accordance" with the plans it agreed with the Housing Executive. | |
| A spokesman for the department explained the funds had been distributed by the Housing Executive under a neighbourhood renewal project. | |
| In a statement the DSD said "unfortunately the memorial as it stands at the moment does not reflect the project's original objectives of the removal of all sectarian symbols. | |
| "The erection of these paramilitary plinths was not in accordance with the Housing Executive's planned works which were agreed by the department. | |
| "The department is currently working to ascertain why the paramilitary plinths are in the garden of reflection." | |
| It is not yet known how much funding was allocated to the project. | It is not yet known how much funding was allocated to the project. |
| Alliance Party assembly member Stephen Farry said he had written a letter of complaint to Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie about the "glorification of terrorism". | Alliance Party assembly member Stephen Farry said he had written a letter of complaint to Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie about the "glorification of terrorism". |
| "She has been very clear in her support for a shared future - if DSD have funded this, it's the very antithesis of a shared future and serious questions have to be asked. | "She has been very clear in her support for a shared future - if DSD have funded this, it's the very antithesis of a shared future and serious questions have to be asked. |
| Local community worker Mark Gordon said he appreciated some people may have concerns but the garden was open to everyone. | Local community worker Mark Gordon said he appreciated some people may have concerns but the garden was open to everyone. |
| "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter," he said. | "One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter," he said. |
| "Why is it that when loyalists within this community choose to honour their dead that suddenly there's an uproar?" | "Why is it that when loyalists within this community choose to honour their dead that suddenly there's an uproar?" |
| In 2007, Ms Ritchie set a 60-day ultimatum for the UDA to decommission its weapons after shots were fired at police during rioting in the Kilcooley estate. | In 2007, Ms Ritchie set a 60-day ultimatum for the UDA to decommission its weapons after shots were fired at police during rioting in the Kilcooley estate. |
| When the deadline passed, she withdrew £1m in funding from a project aimed at transforming loyalist areas. A High Court judge later quashed her decision because she had not followed proper procedures. | When the deadline passed, she withdrew £1m in funding from a project aimed at transforming loyalist areas. A High Court judge later quashed her decision because she had not followed proper procedures. |