1 week Ago
UK-Irish deal on Troubles legacy could be 'within weeks' 16 hours ago Share Save Jayne McCormack & Brendan Hughes BBC News NI Share Save PA Media Secretary of State Hilary Benn and Tánaiste Simon Harris spoke at a press conference on Thursday afternoon The UK and Irish governments will know "within weeks" whether they can reach an agreement on Troubles legacy issues, the Tánaiste (Irish Deputy Prime Minister) has said. Simon Harris said they have "made progress" on a way forward but he wanted to secure arrangements which are "vastly different". Secretary of State Hilary Benn said he has "listened carefully" to concerns over current structures for investigating Troubles killings and he remained committed to "fundamental reform".
Both were speaking after a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) at Hillsborough Castle. The BIIGC was set up under the Good Friday Agreement and meets twice a year. It has not taken place in Northern Ireland since 2006.
Secretary of State Hilary Benn hosted Harris and Ireland's Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan. Ministers discussed issues including the Labour government's ongoing move to repeal the controversial Troubles Legacy Act. Reaching an agreement Labour intends to retain a new legacy body set up under the legislation - the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
A number of victims' groups have called for the ICRIR to be scrapped, arguing it is not sufficiently independent to investigate killings during Northern Ireland's decades-long conflict. Harris said he would like to "reach an agreement between the two governments on what legacy mechanisms would look like". Speaking at the press.
.. Jayne McCormack & Brendan Hughes.
