Republic of Ireland 'should not be treated as a close friend of UK' as Dublin government 'continues to use interstate case as leverage'

They were speaking after the Labour government indicated that the withdrawal of the Irish government's interstate lawsuit against the UK is dependent on Dublin judging the UK to be in compliance with their new Troubles deal.

The two governments announced their deal (known as the Joint Framework) on September 19, setting out the measures each will take regarding the legacy of the conflict.

For the UK, this means restarting Troubles inquests, civil cases, and reforming the Independent Commission on Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) into the Legacy Commission.

For the Republic, it means setting up a specialist Troubles unit with An Garda Siochana and co-operating with UK state legacy bodies.

The Irish government's interstate case was brought in December 2023, referring the UK to the European Court of Human Rights over its Legacy Act, which had been signed into law two months earlier.

It argues that the Legacy Act breaches five different articles of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Negotiations over September's Joint Framework went on while this case was hanging over the UK.

And in October, a month after the Joint Framework was announced, taoiseach Micheal Martin said merely that dropping the case was "on the agenda".

Since then, Baroness Hoey has asked the government if the Irish case has been stayed, to which it has now replied in a written answer in the House of Lords: "While the interstate case is a matter for the Irish government, we expect that the implementation of this framework will result in the withdrawal of the case."

The baroness has told the News Letter: "The response to this question shows how much the UK government is beholden to the whims of the Irish government.

"Despite deplorably allowing their government to be placed on an equal footing with the UK in administering [the Joint Framework], the Irish have still refused to withdraw the interstate case.

"It is time that we stop treating the Irish government as a close friend, as they seem a friend only when it suits their interests.”

Fellow unionist peer Sir Reg Empey told the News Letter the outcome is the result of "poor negotiating" by the UK government, with the Irish state continuing to use the interstate case as "leverage".

"It's been preposterous that the government has allowed itself to negotiate under such duress," Lord Empey told the News Letter.

"What the government has allowed itself to do is to have this sword of Damocles hanging over it until it implements the legislation – not simply proposes it, implements it."

He called the interstate case "outrageous hypocrisy, because Dublin has been operating an amnesty for Provisional IRA people since 1998".

As to what he thinks will end up happening with the interstate case, he said: "I think the deal has been done.

"The government will proceed with what it has on the table at the moment and then, in a flurry of alleged generosity, the Irish government will withdraw their case.

"It's all play acting, and I think how they have the brass neck to do it in view of their own position is astonishing.

"But it's even more astonishing that the UK government has allowed it."

The Northern Ireland Office said: “The interstate case and withdrawal of it is a matter for the Irish government.

"The UK government is clear that the implementation of the Troubles Bill, which seeks to fulfil long-standing commitments made by this government, will mean that the basis for any interstate case will fall away."