Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

91. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans for the establishment of a fund for victims and survivors of events of the troubles in Ireland similar to that established in Northern Ireland as the victim's payment scheme. [42378/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government has always sought to acknowledge and address the legitimate needs and expectations of victims’ families and survivors of Troubles-related attacks in this jurisdiction.

We are deeply conscious of the enduring suffering and hardship that survivors of Troubles-related violence bear, both North and South, and indeed in Britain and Europe.

The Government established a Remembrance Commission in 2003, to administer a Scheme of Assistance and remembrance for victims of the Northern Ireland conflict, and their families, in this jurisdiction. The Commission continued in this work until 2008. 

In administering the scheme, the Remembrance Commission, which operated independently of Government, funded Acknowledgement payments, Economic Hardship payments, Displacement payments and Medical payments for victims’ families and those who were seriously injured in Troubles-related incidents in this jurisdiction. 

Acknowledgement payments were paid to 309 applicants in respect of 109 victims killed in Troubles-related incidents in the South.

Over the lifetime of the Commission from 2003 to 2008, €3.87 million in funding was made available to individual victims and survivors of the Troubles, resident in this jurisdiction to acknowledge their suffering, and to address economic hardship and certain medical expenses.

Funding for certain ongoing medical needs was also provided for those injured in Troubles-related attacks in this jurisdiction, and following the conclusion of the Commission, this continues to be provided through the Department of Justice and Equality.

The Minister for Justice has responsibility for Victims’ issues and will certainly consider and respond to representations from people in the jurisdiction who want to raise views with her on this issue. It is essential that the voices of victims and survivors are heard, and the Government is committed to addressing the legacy of the past, taking into account the many ways that it impacts on our society as a whole and the path toward deeper reconciliation and peace.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

92. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the independent commission on information retrieval and the establishment of the body for which legislation was introduced four years ago; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42379/20]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Government is committed to the full implementation of the Stormont House Agreement, which was collectively agreed by the two Governments and the political parties in Northern Ireland after extensive talks. 

The framework of the Stormont House Agreement provided for a set of institutions to deal comprehensively and fairly with the legacy of the Troubles, and this framework included an Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR) for truth recovery, to be available to victims and survivors across the UK and Ireland.

The objective of the ICIR will be to enable victims and survivors to seek and privately receive information about the Troubles-related deaths of their next of kin.

The Irish and UK Governments concluded an agreement on the establishment of the ICIR in October 2015. As set out in that agreement, the Commission will consist of five members; an Independent Chairperson of international standing, appointed by the two Governments, one Commissioner each appointed by the Irish and UK Government, and two Commissioners appointed jointly by Northern Ireland's First Minister and deputy First Minister.

The ICIR agreement was signed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs in October 2015 and laid before the Oireachtas in January 2016. The Independent Commission can only be formally established once the necessary legislation has been enacted in both jurisdictions and the two Governments have notified each other of completion of all other domestic legal procedures required to bring the agreement into force.

I have engaged extensively with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on these issues, and we remain in ongoing contact to support a way forward on the implementation of the Stormont House Agreement legacy bodies, including the ICIR.