Latest news with #Troubles'
RTÉ News
01-05-2025
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Protest in Belfast over UK govt's legacy decisions
A protest has taken place at the offices of the UK government's legacy body in Belfast. It marks a year since criminal investigations and inquests into Troubles' murders were guillotined by controversial British legislation to deal with Northern Ireland's past. Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn has promised to repeal and replace much of the act which he inherited from the previous Tory government, including the restoration of inquest and civil actions. But as yet there has been no progress on that promise. Mr Benn also wants to retain an investigatory body - the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) - established by the legislation which will deal with Troubles cases. That is opposed by many families who protested outside its offices today. The demonstration comes the day after Mr Benn said he would be applying to the UK Supreme Court to challenge a court order that he should hold a public inquiry into the 1997 murder of GAA official Sean Brown. Mr Brown's family have said they are disgusted at the move. It has been revealed that 25 people were linked by intelligence to Mr Brown's killing, among them a number of state agents. SDLP leader Claire Hanna attended today's protest along with Sinn Féin MP John Finucane. Ms Hanna said finding solutions that would allow society to deal comprehensively with the past were vital and current British moves were counterproductive. "This is a very bad sign. I think people are, in good faith, trying to go through what legacy structures might look like, but that fact, that keeping the secrets of the past, protecting security elites seems to be still in in the minds of the Northern Ireland Office is a very bad signal." Grainne Teggart of Amnesty NI spoke at the protest. She said families had no confidence in the ICRIR. "This body is no substitute for proper due process. The UK government is continuing a culture of impunity, denying families the truth and accountability to which they are entitled. "We will judge this government on its actions and those actions demonstrate one thing, more delay, more obstruction, more litigation." She said families wanted urgent action to return inquests and urged the UK government to prioritise the parliamentary time necessary to replace what she called the "discredited" Legacy Act.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawyers got most of £25m to settle legacy cases
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) paid out £25m to settle civil cases related to the Troubles in recent years and most of it went to lawyers, the chief constable has told MPs. Jon Boutcher said lawyers received almost £18m - more than double the amount obtained by victims who brought the claims. He was giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee. Mr Boutcher described legacy as "a green field site for lawyers" due to "an attritional approach by all the security agencies around information disclosure". Mr Boutcher said the PSNI was not properly funded for legacy issues and the costs would pay for the recruitment of hundreds of extra officers. The PSNI's costs cover not just court cases, but also operating its Legacy Investigations Branch (LIB). "We are spending just over £20m a year. That would be about 400 police officers," he said. "But we've been left with this millstone, this anchor, that holds the PSNI back. "It is a considerable burden on us." The PSNI is currently dealing with 1,100 civil actions - in 2014 the figure was 150. The head of its LIB, detective chief superintendent Claire McGuigan, said: "We don't have anywhere near the resources to deal with those, nor the money to settle them. "We're in a position that is very, very difficult and it doesn't build trust in the community because it looks like we are stalling." She said the PSNI continues to have "obligations" despite the Legacy Act passing Troubles' cases to a new body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). The former Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, also gave evidence to the committee. She told the committee it was unreasonable to expect the PSNI to use "today's budget to fund yesterday's cases". "The government really need to be ready to set aside a specific budget for these matters," she said.
BBC News
23-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
NI legacy: Lawyers got most of £25m to settle cases, says PSNI
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) paid out £25m to settle civil cases related to the Troubles in recent years and most of it went to lawyers, the chief constable has told Boutcher said lawyers received almost £18m - more than double the amount obtained by victims who brought the was giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Boutcher described legacy as "a green field site for lawyers" due to "an attritional approach by all the security agencies around information disclosure". Mr Boutcher said the PSNI was not properly funded for legacy issues and the costs would pay for the recruitment of hundreds of extra PSNI's costs cover not just court cases, but also operating its Legacy Investigations Branch (LIB)."We are spending just over £20m a year. That would be about 400 police officers," he said."But we've been left with this millstone, this anchor, that holds the PSNI back."It is a considerable burden on us."The PSNI is currently dealing with 1,100 civil actions - in 2014 the figure was 150. 'Today's budget' for 'yesterday's cases' The head of its LIB, detective chief superintendent Claire McGuigan, said: "We don't have anywhere near the resources to deal with those, nor the money to settle them."We're in a position that is very, very difficult and it doesn't build trust in the community because it looks like we are stalling."She said the PSNI continues to have "obligations" despite the Legacy Act passing Troubles' cases to a new body, the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).The former Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, also gave evidence to the told the committee it was unreasonable to expect the PSNI to use "today's budget to fund yesterday's cases"."The government really need to be ready to set aside a specific budget for these matters," she said.
