Written answers

Tuesday, 19 November 2019

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Northern Ireland

Photo of Maureen O'SullivanMaureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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112. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had contact with the UK authorities regarding a case (details supplied) which is the only trial without a jury based on remote evidence in the history of the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47872/19]

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. Officials from my Department in both Dublin and Belfast monitor this case as part of their engagement with the relevant authorities in Northern Ireland on justice, security and prison matters.

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

The case is now being looked at by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, which is an independent public body that is responsible for reviewing possible miscarriages of justice in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is important that we respect the legal process and allow time for it to reach its conclusion. At this stage in the proceedings, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

My officials in the Irish Secretariat in Belfast regularly engage with a wide range of bodies on justice and security matters in Northern Ireland, including 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. Security cooperation has also formed a key part of my discussions with the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Julian Smith, and his predecessor Karen Bradley, including at the last meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in May.

Officials will continue to monitor developments in this case and the Government will take action as appropriate. It is of course regrettable that, in the absence of a devolved Assembly and a functioning Executive, we do not have a locally elected and accountable Justice Minister with whom we could engage with on matters such as this.

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