Written answers

Tuesday, 13 October 2015

Department of Justice and Equality

Proposed Legislation

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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151. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the progress to date in preparing the legislative measures that require implementation by the Houses of the Oireachtas following the Stormont House Agreement; the proposed timeframe for the enactment for such legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35779/15]

Photo of Frances FitzgeraldFrances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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The Stormont House Agreement was established between the five parties who were in the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish and British Governments in December 2014. It addresses a range of measures relating to the devolved institutions in Northern Ireland and measures to seek to address the legacy of the troubles.

Among those measures the Stormont House Agreement provides for the establishment by the two Governments of an Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR) to facilitate the family members of persons killed during the troubles to seek further information that may be available on the circumstances of the deaths of their loved ones. Very considerable work has been done between the two Governments to establish the international agreement necessary for this body and that process is nearly finalised. Legislation will be required for the ICIR. Work in that regard is ongoing in my Department at present and legislative proposals will be brought forward shortly.

The Stormont House Agreement also provides for the establishment of an Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) in Northern Ireland to carry out investigations into historical, troubles-related killings in Northern Ireland and to provide reports to the families of those killed. The British Government is currently bringing forward legislation to provide for the powers and functions of the HIU and consistent with our commitment in the Stormont House Agreement the Government will bring forward whatever legislation proves necessary to facilitate full co-operation with the HIU.

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