NI Secretary to meet with parties over how to deal with legacy
Hilary Benn will meet with the leaders of the four larger political parties which comprise the Stormont Executive in Belfast on Wednesday.
He met with the SDLP on Tuesday.
Speaking ahead of the meetings, Mr Benn emphasised that any new arrangements must have the confidence of bereaved families and of all communities.
The previous government's contentious Legacy Act has been almost universally opposed by political parties and victims groups.
It halted scores of cases going through the courts and inquests concerning the Troubles, and set up the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
Mr Benn also reiterated that the Government will repeal and replace the Legacy Act.
The ICRIR is expected to be retained.
'This UK Government is committed to (repealing and replacing) the previous government's Legacy Act and to ensuring we have a system that is capable of delivering for all families who are seeking answers around the loss of their loved ones,' he said.
'I am continuing to work with all of the Northern Ireland parties over what should be included in that legislation.
'It is important that new legacy arrangements are capable of commanding the confidence of families and of all communities.'
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Belfast Telegraph
21 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Former Church of Ireland Primate's 50 years of service are honoured at St Columb's Cathedral
Among the congregation were his wife Lady Eames and members of his family including their sons Niall and Michael. They were joined by a number of bishops from the three dioceses where Lord Eames served, namely Derry and Raphoe, Down and Dromore and Armagh where he was archbishop and primate from 1986 to 2006. Parishioners from the Derry and Raphoe Diocese also attended yesterday, the Feast Day of St Columba, which is celebrated by both main religious traditions. In Ireland, Columba is also remembered as a patron saint of poets, and is associated with the Book of Kells. The sermon was preached by the current Bishop of Derry and Raphoe, the Rt Reverend Andrew Foster, who earlier paid tribute to Lord Eames. He said: 'Lord Eames has been a blessing to our diocese, to the Church of Ireland as a whole, and to the wider society on this island during his decades in ministry. He has been a distinguished and courageous church leader who has made an immense contribution to peace-building and reconciliation. 'We in Derry and Raphoe give thanks for Lord Eames' stewardship of our diocese in a troubled period of its history in the late Seventies. 'We are thankful for his leadership of the Church of Ireland over two decades during which our society went from the darkness of the Troubles into the light of a new, admittedly fragile peace. Even in the darkest days, Lord Eames preached a message of hope, born out of his faith in God. He is someone who can always see the good in humanity.' During his five years as Bishop of Derry before he moved to Belfast, Lord Eames worked closely with the Catholic Bishop of Derry, Edward Daly, and the late SDLP leader John Hume. He also made a special point of visiting homes in the Bogside area. He said: 'I wanted to hold out the hand of friendship to the whole Catholic community in Derry.' During his long career, Lord Eames, who is now 88, travelled widely to help solve problems in the worldwide Anglican communion. News Catch Up - Tuesday 10th June 'It was my experience in Derry which taught me much about bridge-building and reconciliation and this benefitted me greatly in subsequent stages of my ministry, including my time as Bishop of Down and Dromore and also in Armagh,' he said. When he retired as primate, he became a cross-bencher peer in the House of Lords and continued to foster the interests of Northern Ireland, and to continue his widespread ministry through preaching. With Sir John Major, he paid tribute at a thanksgiving service in Westminster Abbey for Peter Brooke, a former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Last year, Lord Eames was injured in a fall, but is making a steady recovery. He said prior to the Derry service yesterday that 'it was one of the most touching invitations of my career which brought back memories of the vast changes in church life and politics in the last half century'.
ITV News
a day ago
- ITV News
Environment Minister Andrew Muir sees ‘merit' in public inquiry into illegal Mobuoy dumping site
Environment Minister Andrew Muir has said he believes there is merit in holding a public inquiry into 'abhorrent' illegal dumping at the Mobuoy landfill site. Mr Muir told MLAs that the cost of fixing environmental damage caused at the Londonderry site could reach £700million. Two men were jailed last week for their roles in one of Europe's largest illegal dumps. Paul Doherty, 67, of Culmore Road, Londonderry, admitted seven charges between 2007 and 2013 relating to the contaminated Mobuoy dump at Campsie, outside Derry, and was sentenced to one year in prison. Co-defendant Gerard Farmer, 56, of Westlake in Derry, pleaded guilty to three charges between 2011 and 2013 and was jailed for 21 months. Mr Muir told the Assembly he shared public concern over the 'appalling situation' in Mobuoy and said he had approved the launch of a consultation on the draft remediation strategy. He said: 'Safeguarding public health, ensuring safe drinking water and reducing the environmental impact of the Mobuoy site is of paramount importance to me.' He added: 'There is no quick fix but I am committed to continuing to ensure that appropriate steps are taken to protect water quality and the environment during these processes.' He said to date he had been advised that there had been no adverse impact on the safety of drinking water being supplied from the River Faughan. SDLP MLA Mark Durkan said his party would support the remediation measures. He said: 'While focusing on the future we cannot just forget the past, how an environmental crime on an industrial scale was allowed to happen. 'This could cost the public and public services hundreds of millions of pounds to put right. 'Will the minister seek support from his Executive colleagues for a public inquiry into this scandal?' Mr Muir responded: 'This was an abhorrent crime on an industrial scale. 'I do believe there is merit for a public inquiry so I will be taking a paper to my Executive colleagues in regards to this. 'But the cost associated with the site is likely to be significant. This could cost up to £700 million to remediate this site. 'I will be looking to the UK Government, not just in terms of financial support in terms of any future public inquiry but also in terms of the remediation of the site. 'These are significant costs for us as an Executive to bear.' He said he would be engaging with Foyle MLAs and representatives from Derry and Strabane Council over the site. Mr Muir added: 'It is important we look to the past and understand lessons to be learned, but it is also important we look to the future and have remediation of this site.' Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.
Belfast Telegraph
4 days ago
- Belfast Telegraph
Bishop of Derry: ‘I had very difficult times trying to bring comfort to victims of violence and their families… These people were the real heroes'
Speaking exclusively to the Belfast Telegraph ahead of a service in St Columb's Cathedral on Monday to mark the 50th anniversary of his consecration as Bishop of Derry and Raphoe in 1975, he said: 'This is one of the most touching invitations of my career and it has brought back so many memories of the vast changes in church life and politics during the last half-century.' Robin Eames, now in his 89th year, came to Derry as bishop when he was only 37. At his Consecration in St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh he invited the Catholic Bishop of Derry Edward Daly to walk with him down the aisle. 'I believe that this was the first time it happened. I wanted to show that he and I were friends, and that I was holding out the hand of friendship to the whole Catholic community in Derry.' Lord Eames also made a point of visiting the homes of people in the Bogside. 'This was to let them know that I was not their enemy and that I wanted to understand their feelings. During one of the first meetings a man opened the door, shook my hand and said 'Welcome to Derry, my name is John Hume'. We met frequently afterwards and he always impressed me greatly.' After five years in Derry, Eames became Bishop of Down and Dromore. 'The divisions in Belfast were deeper than in Derry, and the attitudes had hardened. These were some of the worst years of the Troubles,' he said. 'My experience in Derry had taught me much about bridge-building and I received great warmth and support from all sides in that city. In Belfast I got on well with the Roman Catholic Bishop of Down and Connor Cahal Daly, and the relationships between all the main Churches improved greatly.' In 1986 Eames became Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All-Ireland, a post which he held until his retirement in 2006. He worked closely with Catholic Primates Tomas O'Fiach, Cahal Daly, and Sean Brady. 'I always related to them as human beings and not only as senior Church figures. I asked them to take me as I am, and they did the same for me. Our friendships helped us through some very testing situations. It was a privilege to work with them.' One of the most difficult challenges he faced as Archbishop was the prolonged stand-off at Drumcree between residents and members of the Orange Order which led to widespread violence. 'I received many demands, particularly from the Irish Republic, to close the Drumcree parish church, but I could not shut a building where people from all backgrounds came to worship. I was severely criticized, which was personally hurtful, but closing the church was something I could not do in all conscience. "I deeply regret that the Drumcree dispute lasted so long and showed the world the deep divisions in our community. However, I believe it was the right decision to keep the church open.' In 2009 Lord Eames and the former Catholic priest Denis Bradley produced their report for the Consultative Group on the Past which was shelved amid controversy over its recommendations. 'Obviously I was disappointed but if people look at the small print it still has the seeds of a solution to our divisions. A former Northern Ireland Secretary told me if he had accepted the report it would have prevented what took place later on.' Robin Eames also travelled the world as a clerical trouble-shooter dealing with major issues facing the Anglican Communion. 'I was sent by Archbishop Robert Runcie, and my experience in Derry helped me build bridges that would last. I became friends with Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who once stayed in our home in Armagh. We shared many of the same problems in Northern Ireland and South Africa as prisoners of our past.' Lord Eames also played a key role behind the scenes in the creation of the 1993 Downing Street Declaration which, he believes, formed the path towards the Good Friday Agreement. 'I had the highest regard for Sir John Major and Albert Reynolds who played such a major part in producing the Declaration.' He has also been a cross-bencher in the Lords since his retirement as Archbishop, something he says has taught him that basic understanding of 'Englishness' and 'Irishness' has been 'one of the root causes of a great many problems between the two parts of the UK'. Lord Eames has served as chairman of some of the Anglican Communion's most important Commissions. He has received numerous awards, and is a member of the Order of Merit — a very special honour bestowed on him personally by the late Queen Elizabeth . It is confined to a maximum of 24 people, and the current members include Sir David Attenborough and the artist David Hockney Badly injured in a fall last year, Lord Eames is making a steady recovery, and reflected on the past and present. 'There have been so many changes in all the churches but for me the basic message and challenge of Christianity remain the same.' 'I had very difficult times in my ministry trying to comfort victims of violence and their families, and sometimes I am still overwhelmed when I recall how bad it all was. Yet I also remember those who impressed us with their courage and faith from the depths of adversity. 'I was with Gordon and Joan Wilson on the day their daughter Marie was killed in the Enniskillen bomb. Their Christianity and example in dealing with that immense personal tragedy was an inspiration to all of us, and they were not the only ones. They are real heroes. 'I look back on my life and praise God for giving me strength to minister to all sorts of people. I also pay tribute to my wife Christine who has been a tower of strength to me throughout my ministry. I have so much for which to be thankful.'
