The DOJ and NIO joint fund an £8 million a year Programme for Tackling Paramilitary Activity and Organised Crime that funds engagement directly with paramilitary organisations, such as the UVF, UFF, RHC, and UDA.
The cross-department Executive Programme for Tackling Paramilitary Activity and Organised Crime receives funds from the Northern Ireland Executive, and is not jointly funded by the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Northern Ireland Office (NIO). To date, there is no evidence of funds being provided for engagement directly with paramilitary organisations by the programme. [...] "…remember, the Government in Northern Ireland – the Executive – is engaged in [the] Tackling Paramilitaries Programme, where the DOJ [Department of Justice] — Miss Long’s [Minister of Justice, Naomi Long] department — and the NIO joint fund £8 million a year to engagement directly with paramilitary organisations, not with LCC, but directly with the UVF, the UFF, Red Hand Commando, and others, UDA and others, and they direct engage with them …" [...] To date, there is no evidence of funds being spent on "engagement directly with paramilitary organisations" by the Programme for Tackling Paramilitary Activity and Organised Crime as claimed by Mr Paisley.