Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 January 2017
687. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has read the report by a person (details supplied) into the British Government’s handling of legacy issues from the conflict in Northern Ireland; his views on whether the report is a damning indictment of the British Government’s approach to dealing with the past; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41240/16]
View answerI have received the report to which the Deputy refers, which was presented by the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff, to the UN Human Rights Council in September 2016 and published in November. The report was prepared following the UN Special Rapporteur’s visits to Northern Ireland in November 2015 and May 2016.
I met with Special Rapporteur de Greiff in the course of his visit in May, to discuss the Government’s role and approach in working to deliver a comprehensive legacy framework for Northern Ireland, focused on the needs of victims and survivors. My officials have considered Mr. de Greiff’s report in detail and remain in contact with him.
The Special Rapporteur’s comprehensive report is a welcome contribution to the discussion on dealing with the difficult legacy of the past in Northern Ireland. The report provides the Special Rapporteur’s valued and expert international perspective on how that legacy can be effectively addressed.
The report notes important achievements made so far in Northern Ireland in moving beyond the legacy of the Troubles, particularly on non-recurrence of violence and police reform. The report also analyses the truth-seeking initiatives and work on the criminal justice system that has been undertaken, and makes a number of recommendations on ways to address remaining challenges.
The Special Rapporteur emphasises the importance of a mechanism to capture the structural nature of the violations that took place during the Troubles. This function will be provided by the Implementation and Reconciliation Group, as an integral part of the legacy framework provided for under the Stormont House Agreement of 2014.
The Special Rapporteur is also supportive of the proposals for dealing with legacy inquests that were made by the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland in early 2016. I have and will continue to engage with the British Government and the parties in Northern Ireland, as appropriate, to support the implementation of the Lord Chief Justice’s proposals on legacy inquests.
The UN Special Rapporteur rightly emphasises that dealing with the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland is vital to achieving genuine reconciliation. The Government believes that the most effective way to do this is through the comprehensive framework of legacy institutions provided for in the Stormont House Agreement and this is reflected in the Programme for a Partnership Government.
As Mr. de Grieff states in his report, the achievements made in Northern Ireland deserve to be acknowledged, but much work remains still to be done. I will continue to engage closely with political leaders in Northern Ireland and the British Government, to seek a way forward on the outstanding issues relating to the legacy of the past. It is essential that these are addressed in order to bring a measure of healing to the individuals affected and to society as a whole.
