Four loyalist-based community restorative justice (CRJ) schemes have been cleared to seek funding after passing suitability checks, it was announced today.
Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward issued the first batch of accreditations to projects that have pledged full co-operation with police.
Mr Woodward described it as a big advancement in the British government's drive to protect the schemes from any exploitation.
He said: "I am delighted to announce the first accreditations under the new Protocol arrangements and see this as a significant step forward for those schemes that have demonstrated their commitment to fully operate the Protocol.
"It will give the public confidence that community-based restorative justice schemes can have a full part to play in addressing low-level crime."
CRJ projects bring together victims and offenders and have attracted controversy through the involvement of some ex-paramilitary prisoners.
Eleven other schemes are going through the pre-accreditation process.
PA