Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín has said the newly announced legacy arrangements must have the backing of all victims and survivors in the North if it is to work, and has reserved judgment on its ability to deliver transparent justice.
Speaking today, the Meath West TD said:
“The British Legacy Act was a stain on the statute book, and we consistently pushed Ministers in Dublin to take a firmer stance in talks with their London counterparts to have it scrapped – it was simply a non-starter.
Whilst we welcome the detailed discussions between the two governments that have led to this new framework, we will be led by victims and survivors as to how it can deliver what they see as truth and justice.
We will also wait to see the legislative components around the new disclosure mechanism. For too long, the British state has refused to disclose information about its agents and policies throughout the Troubles. It has shattered the ambitions of families and loved ones who have sought truth by defending themselves from scrutiny, and no new mechanism can operate on that same premise.
Gemma Brolly, Deputy Leader, said:
“The Irish government has engaged positively with this process and we welcome that, but it is clear that there is a lot of bridge-building still required if victims and survivors are to have confidence in this framework – will the British government, for example, seek to play a game of quid-pro-quo on the disclosure of information?
We want to see transparent and accessible justice for all of those who yearn for it – if this new framework is to have that buy-in, the old attitudes of governments protecting themselves has to be over – this could be demonstrated by embedding transparency as soon as possible around issues for which we believe both Dublin and London have some form of responsibility for.”
