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Julian O’Neill, a correspondent for Crime and Justice at BBC News NI, reported that the Republic of Ireland has committed to implementing new legislation to ensure full cooperation with a reformed UK legacy body addressing cases related to the Northern Ireland Troubles. This commitment is part of a “new framework” that has been agreed upon by the British and Irish governments and is set to be unveiled soon. Additionally, the agreement includes the establishment of a legacy unit within An Garda Síochána, the Irish police force, and a €25m support fund for victims.
Victims’ groups and political parties have been briefed on the agreement, which will necessitate new legislation to be passed in both the UK and Ireland in the coming months. The launch of the agreement will be jointly conducted by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and the Tánaiste, the Irish Deputy PM, Simon Harris. Harris is expected to express that this agreement presents “an imperfect opportunity” to address the legacy issue stemming from the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
The two governments have been working towards resetting legacy issues since the UK general election last year. One of the key components of the deal involves substantial changes to the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), which will be renamed the Legacy Commission with the establishment of a new oversight board. Additionally, Irish state bodies, including the gardaí, which currently do not assist in ICRIR investigations, will begin cooperating once the changes take effect. Furthermore, a single-point contact legacy unit within the gardaí will be created for Troubles-related cases.
The Legacy Act, enacted by the previous UK government in 2023, faced opposition from various groups including Labour, Northern Ireland parties, and victims’ organizations. It established the ICRIR to take over Troubles-era cases from May 1, 2024, shutting down all historical inquests. Despite initial controversies such as conditional amnesties for information, certain aspects of the act were deemed unlawful, leading to legal actions. Emmett McConomy, who experienced loss during the conflict, emphasized the necessity for inclusivity and consultation with victims in the development of mechanisms to address the legacy of the Troubles. He expressed concerns that without proper engagement, the new framework could be at risk of failure
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