The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has today published the May
Review Report, and written to the Chair of the Northern Ireland
Affairs Committee with the Department's response.
The May Review of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation
and Information Recovery (ICRIR) was commissioned following
concerns about ICRIR's corporate effectiveness and culture.
The publication of the report, along with the Department's
response and the actions being taken to address the findings, is
in line with commitments in a Written
Ministerial Statement made last month.
The review, carried out by former Northern Ireland Civil Service
permanent secretary Peter May, identified that the organisation
has been facing a number of problems linked to internal
governance and culture at senior levels.
The NIO has been working with ICRIR in making the necessary
improvements to support it in delivering its important work for
victims and their families.
The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, currently progressing through
Parliament, will make significant reforms to ICRIR, which will
become the Legacy Commission. The Bill is the only viable way to
generate confidence across communities, enable information
sharing by the Irish authorities and put in place the necessary
safeguards for our former service personnel.
The Secretary of State said:
I am grateful to Peter May for this review which he undertook
earlier this year and to the dedicated staff at ICRIR who
contributed to it. It was right that the findings were shared
first by ICRIR with its staff.
ICRIR was set up to undertake complex and sensitive
investigations relating to deaths and serious injuries during the
Troubles. Its senior leadership team has a duty to uphold the
organisation's values and those of the wider public sector to
ensure victims, survivors and their families can have confidence
in the organisation's ability to deliver.
I am deeply concerned to see some of the findings in Peter May's
Review. What has been identified is unacceptable and falls below
the standards expected. It is for ICRIR Board to take whatever
steps are necessary and appropriate to address this.
Since receiving the findings, I have met each of the
Commissioners individually and a joint ICRIR-NIO oversight
committee has been established to ensure that the review's
recommendations are swiftly addressed. An action plan has also
been published alongside the Review today.
Through the Troubles Bill, this Government is committed to
reforming ICRIR - which will become the Legacy Commission - to
improve the process for all involved and build wider confidence.
Nothing must detract from the continuation of the Commission's
vital work to help families to find the answers they have long
been searching for.
The Peter May Final
Report (PDF,
518 KB, 35 pages)
The Joint NIO-ICRIR Action
Plan (PDF, 237
KB, 5 pages)
Secretary of State letter
to NIAC Chair (PDF, 247 KB, 4 pages)
