拢10m spent on tackling paramilitaries

Image source, Pacemaker

Image caption, In all, 37 funding allocations have been made between 2016-17 and 2017-18

More than 拢10m has been spent as part of a Stormont programme designed to tackle paramilitarism and organised crime.

The Executive Office set it up in the wake of the 2015 Fresh Start agreement.

An overall budget of 拢50m between 2016 and 2021 was put in place - half coming from the UK government; the other half from Stormont.

Figures for the , with 拢10.6m allocated to various projects.

A large portion of the money - just under 拢5m - has been spent on getting the Paramilitary Taskforce up and running.

Some of the other spending for the first two years includes:

  • About 拢850,000 spent on a public awareness campaign to highlight the harm caused by paramilitaries
  • Just under 拢1m for a project to support young men at risk of becoming involved, or further involved, in paramilitary activity
  • In the funding year 2017-18, 拢400,000 funding for a programme for women in community development

In all, 37 funding allocations have been made between 2016-17 and 2017-18.

The scheme is run by the Department of Justice on behalf of all Stormont departments. Many other government agencies are also involved.

大象传媒 News NI has been told that the allocation of money is - and will continue to be - closely monitored.