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ITV News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
ICRIR chief tells MPs the government is committed to changing 'imperfect' legacy legislation
The head of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) has told MPs that a Government 'reset' of the controversial Legacy Act , could include the appointment of an Irish Commissioner to assist with the organisation's discovery of information into Troubles killings. The ICRIR, which is currently conducting 60 investigations, also said it wants the power to challenge the government withholding documentation under national security concerns. Sir Declan Morgan, chief commissioner of the ICRIR described a 'reset moment' to improve the 'imperfect' Legacy Act. It comes after the controversial legislation was passed despite widespread opposition and concern from political parties in Northern Ireland and victims and survivors of the Legacy Act halted scores of cases going through the courts and inquests concerning the evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee over how the Government should address the region's past, Sir Declan said the ICRIR has received more than 160 include the deaths of five people in the IRA's Guildford pub bombings in 1974, the death of Alexander Millar in Ardoyne in 1975, the death of Seamus Bradley shot by the Army in Londonderry in 1972 and the death of the judge Rory Conaghan killed by the IRA in Declan told MPs: 'Those would not have happened if we had not looked at the opportunities that this legislation has provided, and we can do all of those things in an Article 2-compliant way, and in a way which will eventually secure the unvarnished truth.'By the end of this year we will have over 100 investigations in relation to probably more than 150 deaths ongoing, and by the time of the legislation we would expect that that number would have significantly increased, as would the number of people that we have been able to help.'The choice was whether to help those people who were anxious to have an answer to what they wanted or stand back and say, this legislation is not perfect. I don't make any apology for the fact that I decided I wanted to help people.'He added: 'I just wonder whether the approach to the work of the commission will be treated in such a negative light, particularly when the two governments reach agreement on what they want to do.'Also giving evidence to the committee, ICRIR commissioner for investigations Peter Sheridan said he absolutely rejects that they are carrying out light-touch reviews.'Let me assure this committee that it is absolutely not,' he told described the first stage of the process as being a cold case review which looks for new evidence, verifies old evidence, identifies investigative failures and re-examines forensics.'That's going to be the key for us because witness evidence from the past is difficult, but new forensic opportunities, and I already see it in some of the cases … so we're examining that with the latest trace evidence that you can use,' he said.'Looking at continuity of evidence in old cases, conduct fresh searches on data bases and use advances in digital forensics, so it is absolutely not a light-touch review.'I am duty-bound under the legislation to look into all of the circumstances of the case, that's what we're doing.'Sir Declan emphasised that the focus of the ICRIR is 'on finding a mechanism to ensure that we achieve the unvarnished truth for victims and survivors'.'The High Court and the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland have found that we are capable of doing this in an Article 2-compliant way in most if not all cases,' he said.'The litigation that has occurred in Northern Ireland has been very hard on families and with hindsight I just wonder whether we could all as lawyers have done better in dealing with it.'This is a reset moment, we need to make the changes to this imperfect legislation that will support the two governments and help us in the project of finding the truth.'Asked about their communication with the Northern Ireland Office over reform of the Legacy Act, ICRIR chief executive Louise Warde Hunter said there has been 'ongoing cordial and robust conversations'.'We are fully committed to the issue of reform, to strengthen in order to deliver for victims, survivors and families,' she Bramley, general counsel at the ICRIR, added that the areas they want to reform include greater independent oversight; a statutory voice for victims and survivors; statutory investigations, not reviews; a statutory conflict of interest policy; a self initiation power where there is a thematic link between different events; and 'a power for chief constables to refer cases directly to us when new evidence comes to light'.
ITV News
06-05-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Attempt being made to ‘smother jury in history', Adams tells libel trial
Gerry Adams has said an attempt is being made to 'smother' the jury in history as he was questioned over his past statements and events during the former Sinn Fein leader faced cross-examination over his knowledge of who was in the IRA and the organisation's rules, on which he repeatedly said he would not 'speculate' in Adams is continuing to give evidence in his defamation case against the BBC at the High Court in Dublin. He claims a BBC Spotlight programme, and an accompanying online story, defamed him by alleging he sanctioned the killing of the former Sinn Fein official Denis Donaldson, who had worked for Sinn Fein, was shot dead in Donegal in 2006, months after admitting his role as a police and MI5 agent for 20 Adams denies any 2009, the Real IRA admitted killing Mr Spotlight programme was broadcast in September trial opened last week with barrister for Mr Adams, Tom Hogan SC, saying the former Sinn Fein president's reputation as a 'peacemaker' had suffered an 'unjustified' attack because of the broadcast of the BBC the witness box, Mr Adams said he 'liked' and 'knew' Mr Donaldson, but did not have many dealings with his cross-examination on Friday afternoon, Paul Gallagher SC asked Mr Adams if he remembered how many people were killed in various atrocities during The Adams told the hearing he did not remember how many people were killed in incidents such as Bloody Friday or the Claudy bombings, and asked what it had to do with Mr Tuesday, Mr Adams entered the witness box for a fifth jury was shown a montage of various broadcast footage of interviews with figures such as Peter McMullan, who said he was a former IRA member who worked with Mr Adams in the Belfast jury were also shown a video clip of Mr Adams from 1987 where he was asked about the death of Charles McIlmurray.'Mr McIlmurray, like anyone living in West Belfast knows, that the consequence of informing is death,' he said in the cross-examination from Mr Gallagher, Mr Adams said his remark was 'very harsh' but was made along with other comments at a press conference including expressing his commiserations with the family of Mr denied that the statement was made as a warning or a threat, or that he was attributing blame to Mr Gallagher asked him several times if he was aware of the structures and rules of the IRA, to which Mr Adams said several times he would not 'speculate' in court and had already answered the question.'I don't intend to speculate on any of those issues in relation to the IRA,' Mr Adams pressed on whether he was not going to answer any questions in relation to the IRA, Mr Adams said an attempt was made to 'smother them (the jury) in an awful history'.'What on earth has this got to do with Denis Donaldson,' Mr Adams Adams said he could not comment on why people including informers were 'disappeared' during the Troubles, but called it 'horrific'.'It was wrong, bad enough that informers were being killed, but to disappear their bodies was totally and absolutely wrong.'He told the court he believes he had met all the families of those who were shot and secretly buried by the Adams, 76, stepped down as Sinn Fein president in 2018 after 34 years at the served as an MP for West Belfast and represented the Louth constituency in the Dail parliament until the 2020 general election, when he retired from trial, which is expected to last four weeks, continues.
