Northern Ireland

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 February 2017

Tuesday, 7 February 2017

Ceisteanna (340)

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

340. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to the comments of the British Secretary of State, Mr James Brokenshire, on the 45th anniversary of Bloody Sunday, when he intensified the British Government's public opposition to properly dealing with the past and that the British Government is trying to write itself out of its responsibility for the conflict and to obscure its central role in the conflict; and his views on whether Mr Brokenshire should cease making such offensive remarks and instead release the funds for legacy inquests, lift the British Government veto on maximum information disclosure and allow the legacy mechanisms to be established immediately. [5535/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

I discussed legacy issues with the Secretary of State when we met in Dublin on 30 January. This discussion included reference to the Secretary of State’s opinion editorial in the Sunday Telegraph in relation to legacy investigations.

I have consistently made clear that the rule of law, including the requirement for effective investigations of unlawful killings, irrespective of who the perpetrators might be, must be upheld. In that regard, I welcomed the statement of clarification that had been issued by the British Government earlier that day on the content of the opinion editorial. An effective and adequately resourced inquest system is an important element of dealing with legacy issues and I am fully supportive of the proposals made by the Lord Chief Justice in this regard. I would hope to see these proposals funded and implemented as soon as possible and have made this clear both to the Executive Parties in Northern Ireland and to the British Government.

The Government is strongly committed to the architecture set out in the Stormont House Agreement. This architecture provides a framework for dealing comprehensively with the legacy of the past in a way that can bring whatever healing is possible to those affected by the Troubles.

I will continue to work with the British Government and the Northern Ireland political parties so that a way forward will be found to establish these institutions in the near future.