Officers' unsolved murders call

Mr Montgomery called for more aggressive use of the law

The government has been criticised for failing to commit to reinvestigate 211 unsolved murders of RUC officers during the Troubles.

Secretary of State Paul Murphy said on Wednesday he would hold talks with PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde on how to approach the issue.

Police Federation chairman Irwin Montgomery told the annual conference of the rank-and-file officers organisation that he was disappointed Mr Murphy had not gone further.

Mr Montgomery said the plight of the murdered officers' families was "a lingering embarrassment" to the government.

"I was disappointed that the money I have asked him and the government for over a long period of time - that he has given no commitment that it will be provided - and is only going to review it with the chief constable," he said.

"We just cannot accept that the plight of our colleagues's widows and families should be treated as some kind of lingering embarrassment which time will erode from the social landscape."

Mr Murphy denied that the unsolved murders were an embarrassment for the government.

"I want to talk to the chief constable about the issue involved," he said.

Secretary of State Paul Murphy: Evidence could be difficult

"Remember, he has actually said that whenever there is evidence that is uncovered and that can be used in courts and in prosecution, then he will take action on that.

"What I wanted to make sure of today was that people understand that in no way do we, as a government, regard the 211 murders of policemen and women as being an embarrassment."

Mr Murphy said there were difficulties in investigating the cases, as many went back more than 30 years and it was vital to ensure the right evidence was gathered to find those responsible.

He added: "Because it has gone on over a number of decades, it is a question very often of evidence. I will talk to him (the chief constable) about the details."

In his speech to 170 delegates at the conference, Mr Montgomery also called for the government to fund more civil cases taken against terrorists.

Mr Montgomery said the government's decision to donate more than £800,000 to a civil action taken by relatives of victims of the Omagh bombing should serve as a precedent.

Twenty-nine people died in Omagh bombing in August 1998

He called for the secretary of state to show the same political will towards the unsolved murders of RUC officers as the inquiries set up into the deaths of Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson as well as the Bloody Sunday inquiry.

Mr Montgomery said more aggressive use of the law should be made in encouraging civil cases.

He told the conference: "If the principle of tackling the terrorists through the civil law is right, then why stop at Omagh?

"We have always had to acknowledge that intelligence is not adequate evidence to secure conviction beyond all reasonable doubt, but it does certainly pass the test of the balance of probabilities.

"The funding of civil cases against terrorist godfathers must be explored as a means of destroying their ability to operate and to access funds.

"Far from holding back on such civil cases we should make more aggressive use of the law.

"Perhaps there is a role here for the new Northern Ireland Legal Services Commission when it takes full power in November."