Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 December 2020
66. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice the progress to date in implementing legislation to meet the commitments made under the Stormont House Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42507/20]
View answerThe Stormont House Agreement, concluded by the two Governments and the Northern Ireland Parties in December 2014, provides for a framework of measures to address the legacy of the conflict in Northern Ireland. Work is at an advanced stage on legislative measures to contribute to delivery on the Government's commitments under the Stormont House Agreement.
In September 2015, the Government signed an International Agreement with the British Government on the establishment of the Independent Commission for Information Retrieval (ICIR). The ICIR will be a cross-border institution which will be established to receive information on troubles-related deaths and to prepare a report on the circumstances of the death for the families of the victims. The development of proposals for legislation to establish the ICIR in this jurisdiction is being progressed, but the ICIR will require legislation to be enacted in both jurisdictions with parallel provisions in order for it to come into effect.
In July 2019, the Criminal Justice (International Cooperation) Act 2019 was enacted. The legislation is an important step in the Government’s commitment to the agreed measures to address the legacy of the troubles on the island of Ireland and to support the victims of the conflict and their families. The Act facilitates co-operation by An Garda Síochána with the legacy framework in Northern Ireland. In addition to enhancing the co-operation being provided to ongoing Coroners’ Inquests in Northern Ireland into historical deaths, the legislation further underpins the Government’s commitment to full co-operation with the framework of measures set out in the Stormont House Agreement.
As the Deputy will appreciate, efforts to advance the Stormont House Agreement legacy provisions have been affected by the political stalemate in Northern Ireland which lasted until January of this year and by the UK Government’s announcement on legacy in March. Nevertheless, this Government remains committed to the Stormont House framework as the way forward on legacy issues and will continue to engage with our UK and Northern Ireland counterparts.
