Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 February 2026
111. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade her views on whether it is appropriate that the British secretary of state for Northern Ireland should have the power to decide whether an inquiry is held into legacy issues in the North; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8343/26]
View answerThe power to establish public inquiries in Northern Ireland derives from the UK Inquiries Act 2005. Section 1(1) of the Act vests the power to 'cause an inquiry to be held' in a relevant 'Minister'.
For legacy matters in Northern Ireland, the relevant Minister is the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
There has been significant demand for public inquiries to be established into legacy cases.
A notable example was the long-standing demand for a public inquiry into the murder of Pat Finucane. This call was supported by successive governments for many years. The direction of an inquiry into his murder by the current Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in September 2024, was widely welcomed, following years of campaigning by the Finucane family. I look forward to the inquiry's getting underway.
In calling on the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to exercise his power to direct the holding of public inquiries into certain legacy cases, as we did in the case of the Finucane murder, this government acknowledges his legislative power to do so.
That said, there remain points of disagreement. While agreement was reached between the Irish and British governments on a Joint Framework to address the legacy of the past in September last year, one area where agreement was not possible related to the murder of Seán Brown. This government has made clear our support for the Brown family in their calls for a public inquiry into the murder.
I continue to call for a public inquiry into this murder. I will continue to raise the case of Seán Brown and other legacy matters with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in my discussions with him on legacy.
Finally, I should that in the Joint Framework, the British Government commits "to provide reciprocal cooperation to Ireland for investigations, inquiries and inquests" in this jurisdiction.
