Bloody Sunday Inquiry bill hits ?214 million
The cost of the Bloody Sunday Inquiry in Northern Ireland has reached ?214 million, it was revealed today.
The team investigating the shooting dead of civil rights protesters by soldiers in Londonderry in 1972 is finalising its report and has not heard evidence in almost four years.
East Derry DUP MP Gregory Campbell said it was hard to justify the mammoth public expenditure when people were struggling with the financial crisis.
``I urge the Government to get this spending under control,'' he said.
``Failure to do so is undermining public confidence in the inquiry and is confirming to the public that the Government places a higher priority on examining events of nearly 40 years ago than it does addressing current pressing issues.''
Paratroopers killed 13 people, with another dying later from his injuries. Nationalists said they shot innocent demonstrators, while the Army said its members came under fire from the IRA.
A total of ?31 million has been spent on the inquiry since hearings ended in January 2005.
A spokeswoman for the inquiry, headed by Lord Saville, said: ``We always bear in mind that it is public money that we are spending.
``Every effort is made to keep costs to a minimum.''
She said the ?31 million bill included retrospective claims from lawyers for work carried out when hearings were ongoing.
There are also office and administrative costs as the team draws up its final report.
The inquiry was established in 1998 by then prime minister Tony Blair after a campaign by the families of those killed and injured. Around 900 witnesses were heard.
Saville Inquiry officials confirmed it would be autumn 2009 - five years after the investigation ended - before findings were released.
Lord Saville said the previous indication of the timescale necessary to complete the report ``was a substantial underestimate''.
The last time he wrote to victims it was due to be completed this January or February.
