UK legacy Bill
Deputy Smith condemns the British Government's legacy legislation for shielding those responsible for conflict-related killings and deepening victims' trauma. The Taoiseach fully agrees, says he will raise Ireland's opposition with the Prime Minister, and argues the law should not stand.
The British Government's legacy Bill is appalling legislation. Sadly and unfortunately, it has passed through the House of Commons and House of Lords. The only credible thing to do with this legislation would be to bin it in its entirety. As I have said in this House so often, it absolves those responsible for conflict-related murders and other deplorable crimes of such evil and vile deeds. To add insult to injury and shamefully, this is under the guise of reconciliation. This legislation dismissively betrays victims and their families, adding to their long-standing grief and trauma. It must be clearly stated again and again in blunt terms to the British Prime Minister that he must take cognisance of the concerns of all advocacy groups working on behalf of victims and a shared view from both political traditions on this island, from all political groupings, from human rights organisations nationally and internationally, and from the Council of Europe.
Comment on this
I am in 100% agreement with Deputy Smith's remarks on this matter. I hope to have the opportunity to speak to the Prime Minister next week at the European Political Community meeting in Granada.
We will once again have an opportunity to impress on him the deeply felt opposition of the Government, of the five major parties in Northern Ireland, and particularly of victims' groups and survivors. This is not the right approach. We believe it will be struck down, if not in the UK Supreme Court then in the European Court of Human Rights, but it should not come to that.