Irish government would not support “investigation of state or non-state actors in Northern Ireland”

It comes as the British Government has pledged to “end the cycle of re-investigations” in a set of proposals to deal with Northern Ireland’s troubled past.

Once cases have been considered, there will be a legal bar on any future investigation occurring, under the new proposals.

Mr Coveney said: “In terms of the issues the UK Government has raised today about the treatment of British military veterans, our position is again clear. There should be effective investigations into all Troubles-related deaths, regardless of the perpetrator.

“We would not support a proposal to introduce any special measure or treatment, regarding investigation of state or non-state actors in Northern Ireland.

“The rule of law and the protections afforded by the European Convention on Human Rights must apply equally to everyone and must be upheld, and this principle is at the core of the Stormont House framework.

“Victims and survivors have had to wait for far too long for a suitable and effective system in Northern Ireland to deal with the legacy of the Troubles.”

Mr Coveney said he would meet Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Brandon Lewis on this issue to discuss next steps.