TUV Leader Jim Allister, who intervened in the Assembly debate to say victims required justice, not a story-telling forum, said today’s debate on dealing with the past would turn out to be largely futile.

“I take this view”, said Mr Allister, “because the whole peace process that brought us to this point is built on corruption of due process, most spectacularly the early release of terrorist prisoners and its handmaiden of terrorists in government.

“Once you so corrupt the political and judicial process you can forget about those, who delivered and sustained that, ever delivering justice for innocent victims. Hence, too, the obscenity of the equivalence of victim with perpetrator in the definition of victim, which Stormont retains.

“This corruption of what is just and right by the Belfast Agreement and those who now support it, is the reason why, despite the fine words of some, justice remains elusive. How could it be otherwise when the perpetrators rule over us and are kept there by those who know better, but consciously, for the sake of power, do wrong.”