Cllr Haughey said, “Ian Paisley is now retiring from elected politics and I believe before he finishes his term on 4th May that he should do the right thing and offer an apology to Sadie Reavey and her son Eugene for adding to the family’s suffering by slurring their good name in the years after the brutal killings of John Martin, Brian and Anthony.
“The Reavey family have carried their cross with great dignity and respect. Their lives have never been the same since that fateful night in January 1976. The three brothers were innocent victims of the troubles and their family innocent victims who have had to fight for years for truth and justice.
“Ian Paisley played an important role in adding to the families suffering when he made false claims in the House Commons about the Reavey family and in particular Eugene Reavey. His comments were completely untrue and unfounded.
“Last May a Historical Enquiries Team investigation completely exonerated the entire Reavey family, yet Ian Paisley has yet to apologise to the family and to Eugene for the unnecessary suffering he inflicted on this innocent family by making false claims in the public arena.
“As Ian Paisley steps down from elected Politics I now call on him to finally do the right thing and offer an apology to Sadie Reavey and her son Eugene. He needs to admit his wrongdoing in this case and be man enough to say sorry.
“The Reavey family have suffered long enough and if Ian Paisley has any conscience then he should admit his wrongs and finally offer the family some acknowledgement of that.”