Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 2 May 2018
104. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in implementing legislative measures as required under the 2014 Stormont House Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19180/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the 2014 Stormont House Agreement the Government, the British Government and the parties in the Northern Ireland Executive reached agreement on a range of matters, including certain measures to address the legacy of troubles-related violence.
While there remains an unfortunate delay in making progress with the implementation of this framework of measures due to the continued political impasse in the formation of a new Executive in Northern Ireland, the Government remains firmly and fully committed to giving effect to these measures.
The Government approved my proposal for a General Scheme for the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Bill in November last year. In addition to enhancing the ongoing co-operation being provided to certain Coroner's Inquests in Northern Ireland, these proposals will further underpin the Government's commitment to full cooperation with the framework of measures set out in the Stormont House Agreement. The Bill is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel as a priority and I hope to be in a position to bring a draft Bill before the Government soon.
In close co-operation with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, my Department has also been finalising a General Scheme of a Bill to provide for the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR). The Irish and British Governments came to an agreement to establish the ICIR as an independent, international body with the objective of enabling families to seek and privately receive information about the troubles-related deaths of their next of kin. The ICIR agreement was signed by both Governments in 2015 and laid before the Oireachtas in January 2016. I intend to seek the Government’s approval to draft the Bill in the near future.
