The Irish and British governments are set to unveil new joint proposals to deal with legacy issues in Northern Ireland, as they seek to overcome one of the politically toxic problems arising from the history of the Troubles.
The legacy issue has also been a sore point between the two governments in recent years. This rift deepened when Dublin announced it would take legal action against the UK on the controversial UK Legacy Act, which offered the prospect of an amnesty to perpetrators of crimes during the Troubles and a shutting down of all historical inquests.
It is understood the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris, along with the British secretary of state for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn, will unveil the joint proposals in Belfast on Friday. This follows months of behind-the-scenes work.
The plan was signed off in principle by Taoiseach Micheál Martin and UK prime minister Keir Starmer during their meeting in Chequers last week. Details of the new plan remain a closely guarded secret due to the sensitive nature of the subject matter.
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Victims’ groups and relatives of people killed in the Troubles have long campaigned on the issue of how to deal with the legacy of violence in the North, while the investigation of crimes in which British personnel were implicated – especially where the question of official or political sanction is involved – remains a difficult topic for the British government.
The Irish Times understands, however, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), set up under the controversial Legacy Act passed by the previous Conservative government in 2023, is to become the Legacy Commission.
The new commission will be responsible for a new inquisitorial process, while judges will be appointed to oversee its operation. As part of the new commission, a body will be set up to look at information retrieval, with both governments promising to co-operate with efforts to uncover sensitive records.
The changes will require new legislation in the UK, which is expected to be largely compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights, enabling the Irish Government to abandon its legal challenge to the previous British legislation.
