Written answers

Tuesday, 29 January 2019

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Miscarriages of Justice

Photo of Mick WallaceMick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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129. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he highlighted the case of persons (details supplied) at his attendance at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference; if his attention has been drawn to the details of the case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49795/18]

Photo of Simon CoveneySimon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the case to which the Deputy refers.

The persons concerned were convicted of murder by joint enterprise at their trial in 2012. Their appeal against these convictions failed at the High Court in Belfast in 2012 and, in 2015, the UK Supreme Court refused to allow them to mount a further appeal.

As the Deputy is aware, the case is now being looked at by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which is an independent public body responsible for reviewing possible miscarriages of justice in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. As the case is being reviewed, it would not be appropriate for me to comment further. It is important that the legal process is respected and is allowed time to conclude.

At the most recent meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in Dublin last November, my colleague, the Minister for Justice and Equality, Charles Flanagan T.D., and I engaged with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Karen Bradley, and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, David Lidington, on matters related to security co-operation. Additionally, officials from my Department in both Dublin and Belfast monitor this case as part of their broader engagement with their Northern Irish counterparts on justice and security matters. They regularly engage with the NI Department of Justice, the Northern Ireland Office, the Northern Ireland Prison Service, the Criminal Justice Inspectorate, the NI Police Ombudsman, and the NI Prisoner Ombudsman.

My officials will continue to monitor developments in this case and the Government will take action as appropriate. It is regrettable that, due to the continuing absence of the Assembly and Executive, there is not a Northern Irish Justice Minister in place that we could engage with on these matters, but we will continue our efforts in this regard to the extent possible.

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