Politics

Troubles Legacy Act: Tánaiste welcomes UK action to ‘substantively reform’ legislation

Reform of Act ‘must command the confidence of victims and survivors,’ says Martin

Supporters of Troubles victims hold placards outside the High Court in Belfast in February to demonstrate their opposition to the UK government's Legacy Act. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Supporters of Troubles victims hold placards outside the High Court in Belfast in February to demonstrate their opposition to the UK government's Legacy Act. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
Tim O'Brien
Thu Dec 05 2024 - 09:50

Tánaiste Micheál Martin has welcomed “first steps” being taken by the UK government to repeal and replace controversial UK legislation designed to address the legacy of the Troubles.

In a House of Commons statement on Wednesday Northern Secretary Hilary Benn said the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, introduced by the previous Conservative government, halted scores of civil cases and inquests into Troubles deaths.

He said this was “wrong” and “too many families” have had to “wait too long to find out what happened to their loved ones.”

The Act was opposed by many victims’ groups in Northern Ireland and all the main Stormont parties.

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On Thursday the Tánaiste responded, saying he noted Mr Benn’s remarks “outlining his plans to give effect to the British government’s commitment to repeal and replace the Legacy Act.”

Mr Martin said he had discussions with the secretary of state on a range of issues related to Northern Ireland, including the Legacy Act, at the meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin, on Tuesday.

“In our discussions, and in his speech to the House of Commons, the secretary of state has outlined a pathway to substantively reform the Act and that is welcome.”

Mr Martin said “more work remains to be done, and we will continue and intensify discussions to this end. As I have stated previously, the key tests for the Irish Government in respect of reforms of the Legacy Act are compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights, and the ability to command the confidence of victims and survivors.

“I will have a further chance to talk to the secretary of state about this issue over the next couple of days at the British-Irish Council Summit in Edinburgh”, Mr Martin said.

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien

Tim O'Brien is an Irish Times journalist