All politicians should hold UK and Ireland to account for their continued failures on legacy, say the Ulster Unionists
The Ulster Unionist Party has called on all political parties to put their differences aside on the Troubles, and hold the UK and Irish governments “to account for their continued failures” on legacy.
The party said in a statement after the new joint British and Irish approach to legacy was unveiled at Hillsborough Castle: “The Ulster Unionist Party notes the joint legacy framework announced by the British and Irish governments.”
The statement went on to say: “However, the increased commitment from Dublin must be scrutinised in depth; they cannot be allowed to mark the UK legacy homework without providing coherent mechanisms in the Irish Republic.”
The UUP, which opposed the Stormont House Agreement legacy deal of 2014, continued in their statement to say: "The success of any legacy mechanisms must be judged on delivering justice for victims and survivors and not political rhetoric.
“We have long called for the Irish government to step up and accept its full responsibility in addressing the Troubles legacy cases. The commitment to establish a dedicated garda legacy unit may be viewed as a step in the right direction, but again, output will be key, not more vague promises; cooperation, ensuring information is not redacted before an investigation is critical, and ring-fenced support for victims’ participation must be delivered.
“This could finally address a major imbalance that has persisted for years, but these promises have been made previously with no delivery.”
The UUP statement, issued after Friday’s joint legacy announcement by the Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and the Irish deputy prime minister Simon Harris, said: “Ulster Unionist Party leader Mike Nesbitt stressed that putting the views of victims and survivors, balanced through the lens of justice, is the only way any legacy mechanism will work. We are not convinced that victims have been at the heart of designing this process or spoken too at length.
“The repackaging of the Stormont House Agreement to leave those injured during the troubles, the limbless, blind, victims of rape, sexual violence or punishment shootings is an amnesty for all crimes short of murder. We didn’t accept it then, and we cannot accept it now. The new mechanisms must address this and the ability for the Irish Directorate of Intelligence, formerly G2, to redact information prior to investigation.
“The issue of legacy is too profound, too painful, and too important for political games. Every party must now put their differences aside and work with integrity, holding both the Irish government and the UK government to account for their continued failures.
“The Ulster Unionist Party will continue to scrutinise the proposed legislation and the independence of the new Legacy Commission. We will stand with victims and survivors to ensure that the framework announced today moves beyond being just an ‘imperfect opportunity’ and becomes a genuine mechanism for justice.”