Statement from the Tánaiste on the Legacy Act

I note the remarks of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn in the House of Commons last evening, outlining his plans to give effect to the British government’s commitment to repeal and replace the Legacy Act.

I had detailed discussions with the Secretary of State on a range of issues related to Northern Ireland, including the Legacy Act, at the meeting of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) meeting in Dublin.

In our discussions, and in his speech to the House of Commons, the Secretary of State has outlined a pathway to substantively reform the Act and that is welcome. He also reiterated his commitment to ongoing discussions between the British and Irish governments - as co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement - on this issue, and expressed his hope that the two governments will be able to agree a way forward that is underpinned by the principles set out in the Stormont

House Agreement. I fully share this hope. More work remains to be done, and we will continue and intensify discussions to this end.

As I have stated previously, the key tests for the Irish government in respect of reforms of the Legacy Act are compliance with the European Convention of Human Rights, and the ability to command the confidence of victims and survivors.

I will have a further chance to talk with the Secretary of State about this issue over the next couple of days at the British Irish Council Summit in Edinburgh.