The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has
written to the Secretary of State with a comprehensive summary of
the evidence so far from its inquiry into the legacy of
the past in Northern Ireland, to inform the Government's
policy making ahead of any potential announcement on a joint
approach with the Republic of Ireland.
The letter to outlines the views gathered
from the wide range of contributors to the inquiry—including
victims, survivors, and expert organisations—across five central
themes: the role of the Irish Government; consultation with
stakeholders; reform of the Independent Commission for
Reconciliation and Information Recovery; reconciliation; and
recording the past.
The committee plans to produce a final report with
recommendations at a later date and will scrutinise the details
of any agreement between the UK and Irish governments.
MP, Chair of the Northern
Ireland Affairs Committee, said:
“Our wide-raging inquiry has taken powerful evidence from people
and organisations with diverse perspectives on legacy issues,
including victims and survivors who have courageously shared
their personal experiences. The future prosperity of Northern
Ireland depends on ensuring that all communities feel heard and
represented when it comes to addressing its past, so it's crucial
that the Government takes into account the views and concerns
we've gathered when shaping any future agreements and legacy
legislation.”
The committee has previously taken evidence from stakeholders
including the Northern Ireland Human
Rights Commission, and organisations that represent and
support victims, survivors and their families.
In April the inquiry took evidence from the PSNI,
Operation Kenova and a former NI Police Ombudsman. And more
recently, the committee explored the views of veterans,
former police officers and the Independent Commission for
Reconciliation and Information Recovery.
ENDS
Notes for editors:
Following the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in
April, both Governments agreed to work ‘quickly
and intensively' in seeking to finalise a joint approach to
legacy
