Brendan Smith: Progress on Legacy Bill and Monaghan Inquiry
Brendan Smith addresses progress on the Joint Framework between the British and Irish Governments relating to legacy issues from the Troubles and presses for a full investigation into the Dublin Monaghan bombings. He argues the current British Government offers the best prospect to pass a legacy bill faithful to the joint framework and insists on independent access to files.
Framework welcomed
Brendan Smith says the Joint Framework published last September was a welcome development and emphasises the need for legislation that does not grant immunity to perpetrators. He criticises the previous British Government’s bill as deficient and unacceptable.
Dublin Monaghan victims
Smith highlights the 52nd anniversary of the Dublin Monaghan bombings, noting the loss of 34 lives and hundreds injured, and repeats the unanimous Oireachtas request for an independent, eminent international legal person to access all files and ensure full co-operation.
Status of the legacy bill
He reports progress in talks with the current British Government, calling this the opportunity to get a sustainable legacy bill through Westminster. Smith stresses vigilance to keep the bill true to the joint framework and warns there is no guarantee a future government would be as disposed to the present measures.
What comes next
Smith says he will speak plainly on the realities of the current moment and continue to work with the British Government to ensure the legislation remains faithful to what was agreed, while pressing for the independent investigation requested by the Oireachtas.
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The publication last September of the Joint Framework between the British and Irish Governments relating to legacy issues arising from the Troubles was a welcome development. The legislation enacted by the previous British Government was reprehensible, where murderers, be they from state forces or paramilitary organisations, could literally give themselves immunity. I think you might update us on the progress in advancing the measures provided for in that framework. Last Sunday marked the 52nd anniversary of the Dublin Manningham bombings, where 34 innocent people were killed and more than 300 injured. It is essential that at every meeting with members of the British Government that the Irish side highlight in no uncertain terms that this Eireachtas needs a positive response to our unanimous request made on four occasions that an independent, eminent, internationally legal person be given access to all files and papers pertaining to the Dublin Manningham bombings and ensure full co-operation and a comprehensive investigation. On the legacy agreement, Deputy Smithy, first of all, we've made a lot of progress and I would say to all concerned that in my view this is the opportunity to get this bill through. You're correct in saying the previous bill was very deficient and the previous British Government did not consult as widely as it should have or initially and had measures in that bill that were unacceptable completely. There's been a complete change in approach by the current British Government compared to what had occurred prior to that. We need to acknowledge that. It's still going through Westminster, we're keeping an eye on it, in just so far as we want it to be true to the joint framework agreement. But I'm very clear in my head that this is the opportunity to get a legacy bill through that can sustain and that this current government is the government in Britain that can deliver that. And we have no guarantee in any future government, whatever that configuration might be, would be as disposed to the kind of legacy bill we now have in front of us. That just needs to be said and I'm going to say it straight and that is the reality of it. And we're continuing to work with the British Government in terms of making sure that it stays faithful to what was agreed. For more UN videos visit www.un.org
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