UUP leader Jon Burrows: Ireland needs to come clean over 'complicity in aspects of the Troubles'
The government of Ireland needs to come clean over its role in the Troubles, UUP leader Jon Burrows has said.
The MLA said the Republic had been “complicit in aspects” of the conflict, stating it was used as “a safe haven by terrorists who maimed and murdered UK citizens”.
He added: “There are long standing allegations of assistance with arms in the early 1970s, and we know they actively prevented the extradition of terrorists wanted in the UK, with a 97% failure rate.”
The North Antrim MLA spoke after he and MLA Steve Aiken met with Ireland’s Foreign Minister, Helen McEntee, and reinforced that “legacy remains the single greatest area of grievance between our two countries”.
“Many victim families have empty chairs because of the actions of Irish citizens who launched attacks from the Republic,” he said, revealing that he pressed the minister to confirm that Ireland’s law enforcement would cooperate with Troubles probes run by the UK.
“What is happening at present is not cooperation but frustration,” said Mr Burrows.
“It is time for the Irish government to do more on legacy. Dublin has consistently taken the position that the Troubles were nothing to do with them and that it was up to the UK government to pursue truth, justice, and accountability for the many thousands killed or injured. The Irish government has established no legacy mechanisms that would deliver truth, justice, or accountability.
“More must be done, and the fact that the heads of bill on legacy will not be presented to the Dail until late April or May is simply unacceptable.”
The UUP leader also called on Dublin to “step up to the mark” on security, especially on protections at sea.
“Ireland can no longer rely solely on the Royal Navy to protect its waters and key infrastructure,” he said. “It was encouraging to hear the minister’s commitment to strengthening defence capabilities and working more closely with the UK and Europe.”
During the meeting, Mr Burrows said, he and Mr Aiken “made clear our desire to see institutional and operational reform of Stormont, in order to make our Assembly more effective”.
He added: “We firmly stressed that this is a ‘strand one’ issue, to be discussed and resolved by Northern Ireland’s political parties alone.”