Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence what amount of public funds was paid as compensation to Crossmaglen Gaelic Athletic Association for use of a portion of their playing fields; and if he will make a statement. [119019]
§ Mr. IngramI have been asked to reply.
Responsibility for the matter in question has been delegated to the Compensation Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Denis Stanley. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
Letter from Denis Stanley to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 18 April 2000:
The Secretary of State has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Compensation Agency in Northern Ireland, to reply to your recent Question about compensation paid to Crossmaglen Gaelic Athletic Association in respect of use of part of their land by the security forces.Land belonging to the Association was first requisitioned by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under the Emergency Provisions Act in 1974. In 1985 a sum of £150,000 was paid by way of compensation in respect of the period 1974 to February 1985. This compensation was a composite amount and covered both physical damage to the property and the requisitioning of land. For 428W the period subsequent to February 1985 the amount of compensation payable in respect of requisitioned land has been the subject of an appeal to the County Court which is still on-going.I hope this explains the position.