IRISH AND BRITISH GOVERNMENTS UNVEIL NEW FRAMEWORK FOR DEALING WITH TROUBLES LEGACY

A new joint framework to address legacy issues arising from the Northern Ireland Troubles was unveiled by the British and Irish Governments on Friday. Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said the new proposals were “a night and day improvement” on the controversial measures unilaterally introduced by the previous British Government under its controversial 2023 Legacy Act which effectively blocked inquests and civil legal proceedings arising from Troubles murders and atrocities.

The Tánaiste and Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn jointly announced the details of the new framework. The Labour Government in the UK came to power with a pledge to replace and repeal the 2023 Legacy Act introduced by the Conservatives, which was vehemently opposed by victims’ groups and political parties in Northern Ireland, and led to the Irish Government launching an interstate legal case against the UK on the basis that it had breached the European Convention on Human Rights.

A joint statement by the two Governments said: “The Framework is guided by the principles of the 2014 Stormont House Agreement, namely promoting reconciliation; upholding the rule of law; acknowledging and addressing the suffering of victims and survivors; facilitating the pursuit of justice and information recovery; ensuring human rights compliance; and putting in place arrangements that are balanced, proportionate, transparent, fair and equitable. It sets out what the two Governments will do on the basis of reciprocal cooperation. Some of these matters are devolved and this will be fully taken into account in the implementation phase…