After The Times claimed the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust (JRCT) is funding a charity with links to terrorism in Northern Ireland, the JRCT have stated it ‘has no relationship with any armed groups or proscribed organisations’ and ‘has worked to end violence in Northern Ireland for more than 40 years.’

The organisation in question is Conflict Resolution Services Ireland (CRSI), a registered charity that provides training and mediation services. On August 20 2018, the Times reported that CRSI has received more than £385,000 from the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.

In a statement, JRCT said: ‘JRCT supports a range of organisations that seek to help deal with the legacy of conflict-related violence in Northern Ireland in order to build a society that is characterised by peace and security for all.’

‘The ongoing peace process in Northern Ireland has required engaging with those previously involved in conflict and now committed to peace, in order to facilitate a transition to purely democratic and peaceful society. Such work has been supported by many funders. To criticise the principle of this work is to criticise the foundations on which the peace process has been built.’

‘CRSI is registered with the Northern Ireland Charity Commission (Charity no. 100220). CRSI works in very difficult circumstances to provide mediation services for those under threat of paramilitary punishment attacks by armed groups. These mediation services are supported by a number of funders, including JRCT’

Read the full statement here: https://www.jrct.org.uk/