A CO DOWN woman who was unsuccessful in her appeal to be eligible for a payment scheme for victims of the Troubles has criticised the speed of the process as it seeks more applicants.

Jeanitta McCabe has also remarked that the process “re-traumatises victims”.

Jeanitta was 10 years old when she witnessed her father Peter McCabe being shot multiple times by the IRA in her family home in Newry in 1990.

While both she and her father have been turned down for the Troubles Permanent Disabilities Payment (TPDP) scheme, her mother has been successful with her application to the same scheme.

The Scheme provides payments to those living with physical or psychological injuries sustained in Troubles-related incidents.

However, it was deemed that when it comes to Jeanitta McCabe and her father’s application to the scheme, the incident does not count as a “Troubles-related incident”.

Jeanitta’s solicitor Kevin Winters told The Journal that there is “clearly an inconsistent and contradictory approach taken” given that her mother has been accepted to the scheme.

An information campaign has been launched to attempt to reach potential applicants living outside of the North, and leaflets about the scheme will be delivered to every household in the North.

The scheme, operated by the Victims’ Payments Board, opened for applications on 31 August, 2021 and the current closing date is 31 August, 2026.

To date, more than 6,500 applications have been received and more than £34.8 million (€40.7m) has been paid out to victims.

Jeanitta applied to the scheme soon after it opened, and her application was turned down, as was a subsequent appeal.

She told The Journal that people have died while waiting on a decision, and questioned the Victims’ Payments Board (VPB) seeking more applicants when the scheme is already moving “at a snail’s pace”.

“It’s definitely a further insult to injury on my behalf,” Jeanitta told The Journal.

“On the offset of these applications, the VPB claimed not to re-traumatise victims knowing only too well that to apply to the scheme you would have to relive this trauma to the finest detail.

“Why don’t they be honest and tell claimants that to potentially receive this payment you are risking further injury to your mental and potentially physical health.”

She labelled the decision to deny her and father access to the scheme, yet grant it to her mother who witnessed the event, “bizarre”.

Jeanitta The Journal that the issue is “now in the courts and a judicial review was issued to the VPB”.

She said she was “forced” into this decision and that the “judicial review is causing even more stress”.

“All applications to date submitted to VPB have moved at a snail’s pace, causing extreme stress to victim’s and their families,” said Jeanitta.

“It’s my opinion that the VPB can’t handle what’s already on their plate.”

Jeanitta reached stage seven of the scheme before being deemed ineligible and told The Journal that some of her family members have only reached stage 2 more than two years after first applying.

“At this point all you can do is look ahead,” said Jeanitta.

“You tell yourself, ‘I can’t give up’ because this is a chance to improve my life and that of my children.”