Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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88. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the progress to date in replacing the legacy legislation enacted by the previous British Government; the likely timescale for agreement on new measures to deal with these very important issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47551/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Intensive and constructive work has been, in particular since the beginning of the year, at both official and political level, between the Irish and British governments to determine if we can find adequate common ground to move forward together on legacy.

Seeking a joint approach for reform of the Legacy Act has been the focus of all of my meetings and phone discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, over the last few months.

I most recently spoke with Secretary of State Benn at the British Irish Association in Oxford on 5 September, where we reviewed a potential package of measures to comprehensively address the legacy of the Troubles.

I believe we are close to announcing a joint framework. Any agreed framework will be rooted in the principles of the 2014 Stormont House Agreement, including the promotion of reconciliation; upholding the rule of law; acknowledging and addressing the suffering of victims and survivors; and facilitating the pursuit of justice and information recovery.

Reformed legacy mechanisms must be compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights and must be capable of securing the confidence of those most affected by the Troubles, namely victims and survivors.

In the course of our negotiations with the British Government, I have met with victims and survivors and their families and listened to their concerns and priorities for a reformed approach to legacy.

Certain issues arose repeatedly during these conversations which must be incorporated into the joint framework, including the need for independent oversight, effective representation, robust conflict of interest policies and procedures on a statutory basis and the ability to hold public hearings with next-of-kin participation. It is imperative that we continue to listen to these voices and to provide adequate space for them to be heard before we move towards implementation.

An agreement on legacy with the UK government must provide viable routes to truth, accountability and justice for families and victims. We will continue to work jointly with the UK government, and to engage with those most impacted by the Troubles, to do all we can to reach a framework that meets these objectives and ensure that such an agreed framework is faithfully translated into legislation.