MLA has ‘no confidence’ in Irish Government over Troubles legacy

By Jonathan McCambridge, PA

A unionist MLA has said he has “not one bit” of confidence in the Irish Government’s dealings over the legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles.

Ulster Unionist Doug Beattie made the remarks as the Northern Ireland Assembly debated Dublin’s role in a new legacy framework and the need for the arrangements to attract support from victims and survivors.

Last week the UK and Irish Governments said they had reached agreement on how killings from the Northern Ireland Troubles should be investigated.

The new framework includes commitments to fundamentally reform the mechanisms established in the 2023 Legacy Act.

Do I have confidence in the Irish Government and their legacy dealings with the Troubles? Not one bit

The DUP introduced the motion to the Assembly on Tuesday, which called for the proposals to be the subject of “serious and sustained engagement with innocent victims, survivors and their advocates”.

Their motion also raised concern that the UK Government had entered legacy discussions with Dublin while “acquiescing on the abject failure of the Irish Government to provide answers for those families who suspect Irish state involvement in the murder of their loved ones”.

A Sinn Féin amendment removed some references to the Irish Government as well as the word “innocent” in relation to victims.

The amended motion called on the UK Government to “urgently provide assurances that any agreement reached in principle with the Irish Government on legacy commands the broad support of victims and survivors”.

Mr Beattie told MLAs that the debate was about the Irish Government’s role in legacy.

He said: “The fact is Ireland was used as a safe haven for terrorists who were comfortable to attack civilians in Northern Ireland safe in the knowledge they could go back to the Irish Republic and be safe.

Victims of violence have for many years been sidelined, made to feel they are the pawns of political expediency from successive governments who have served up prisoner releases, on-the-run letters of comfort and even in this Assembly there are those who have royal pardons in their back pockets

“Do I have confidence in the Irish Government and their legacy dealings with the Troubles? Not one bit.

“Here’s why, because the former Irish justice minister (Michael McDowell) made it clear in 2021 when he said the government has decided it is no longer in the state’s interest to investigate and prosecute Troubles-related crimes.

“Yet the Irish Government stands with their hands in their pockets complaining about the UK Government’s legacy (policy) while they do absolutely nothing.”

Mr Beattie referred to the 1998 Omagh bomb atrocity, which killed 29 people, including a mother pregnant with twins.

He said: “The Irish have not done enough, if anything whatsoever.

“The Omagh bomb was constructed in Ireland, the explosives sourced in Ireland, the timer power unit built in Ireland, the car was stolen in Ireland, the murderous operation was planned and mounted from Ireland, and the murderers, the perpetrators, returned to Ireland, yet the Irish Government thinks it is nothing to do with them.

The definition of a victim is outlined in the 2006 Northern Ireland Act. You don’t get to decide it, I don’t get to decide it, nobody in this chamber gets to decide it

“It is utterly scandalous.”

Introducing the motion, DUP MLA Diane Dodds said it was a crucial moment for the Assembly.

She said: “This Assembly has, once again, the opportunity to stand with the innocent victims of terrorist violence in showing support for it.

“The DUP will always stand with the innocent victims of terrorism and we are putting on record once again that there can be no viable process on legacy which does not have access to truth and justice at its heart.

“Victims of violence have for many years been sidelined, made to feel they are the pawns of political expediency from successive governments who have served up prisoner releases, on-the-run letters of comfort and even in this Assembly there are those who have royal pardons in their back pockets.”

Sinn Féin MLA Linda Dillon said Troubles victims would decide on the process which meets their needs.

Victims are not best served by jabbing rhetoric or by a political blame-game, passing responsibility back and forth between jurisdictions

She said: “The DUP do not get to decide who a victim is.

“The definition of a victim is outlined in the 2006 Northern Ireland Act. You don’t get to decide it, I don’t get to decide it, nobody in this chamber gets to decide it.

“Every single family who lost a loved one feels the same pain.”

Alliance Party MLA Paula Bradshaw said the DUP motion risked being more about “political point-scoring than real commitment to truth, justice and accountability for victims and survivors”.

She added: “Victims are not best served by jabbing rhetoric or by a political blame-game, passing responsibility back and forth between jurisdictions.

She said the Alliance MLAs would back the Sinn Féin amendment.

Just as we stand with the Omagh families, just as we stand with the victims of Kingsmills, just as we stand with Bridie Brown and her family and the families of all victims in our conflict, we will always call for a system that does right by all victims

Ms Bradshaw said, “I feel the amendment better places the emphasis on the lived experiences and realities of victims and survivors here.”

SDLP Stormont leader Matthew O’Toole raised the murder of GAA official Sean Brown and his widow Bridie’s search for answers.

He said, “Bridie Brown is 87 years of age. She wants, in her final years, to receive some level of truth and justice for her family.

“The British state is preventing her from getting that because it will not release information germane to the investigation.

“Just as we stand with the Omagh families, just as we stand with the victims of Kingsmills, just as we stand with Bridie Brown and her family and the families of all victims in our conflict, we will always call for a system that does right by all victims.”

The amended motion was carried by the Assembly.