Politics

Decision on NI legacy issues due ‘within weeks’, says Tánaiste

Irish and UK governments working in ‘very good faith’ to bring about an agreed position, Harris says

Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn and Tánaiste Simon Harris speak to media during a press conference at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn and Tánaiste Simon Harris speak to media during a press conference at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) at Hillsborough Castle, Co Down. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Thu Apr 24 2025 - 21:01

The Irish and UK governments will know whether they can reach an agreement on Northern Ireland legacy issues “within weeks”, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris has said.

He said both governments are working in “very good faith” to bring about an agreed position.

The Fine Gael leader made the comments following a meeting of the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference (BIIGC) in Co Down on Thursday.

Mr Harris was hosted by the Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn Hillsborough Castle for a series of talks on legacy, security and political stability.

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Mr Benn and Mr Harris took part in the Anglo-Irish meeting, which focused mostly on legacy issues.

The meeting was also be attended by Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan and by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Fleur Anderson,

It was the first time the conference, which was established under the Belfast Agreement, has been held in Northern Ireland since 2006.

Mr Harris told reporters that the Irish Government has always had two key tests when it comes to legacy.

“Firstly, is the mechanism compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights, and secondly, does it have the support of victims and their families. They are the two principles, the two tests that we’re applying in our discussions,” Mr Harris said.

“I know you, Hilary, feel very strongly in relation to that as well. We are in the middle of a negotiation and a discussion, so I don’t want to go through each issue, other than to say I think a lot of progress has been made on a lot of issues. But you are right. There is a moment in time where we have to call this for many reasons, including those that Hilary has outlined.

“People are getting older. People are going to their grave still not knowing the truth in relation to the loss of their loved one.

“I think we will know within weeks whether it is possible to have a joint position between the two governments or not.

“I really hope it is, and we’re both working in very good faith to try and bring that about. But it is now a question in my mind of within weeks.”

He said it was important for both sides to come to an agreement on what legacy mechanisms look like.

Describing their meeting as “constructive”, he said there were detailed discussions on the reform of the controversial Legacy Act and the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

“I passionately believe, I know you do too, that this peace agreement, the Good Friday Agreement works best when the two governments pull in the same direction, and if at all possible, that’s where we want to get to, where we could actually have a joint position in terms of a mechanism on the legacy of the past,” he added.

Mr Benn agreed that their discussions had been “productive”, adding that the governments have “moved closer together” on an agreed position on legacy issues.

“Over the the work that’s been taking place in recent months, we’ve moved closer together,” Mr Benn said.

“I think that’s a very fair reflection as what has been happening and we’re putting in all of this effort, the intensive discussion that our officials have been engaged in, the regular conversations that the Tánaiste and I have had is because we want to be able to find an agreement.

“Some of the issues are quite tricky – you wouldn’t expect me to go into them in this press conference today – but we’re putting the work in because we believe we’ll be in a stronger position if we can find an agreement, and in the end, help to build confidence in arrangements that, in the end, are going to deliver the families.

“This is what it’s all about. It is the families that we have to have in mind, and in particular, the many families I have met who are still searching for answers, in some cases after very many years, about what exactly happened to their loved ones. And we all have an obligation to find a mechanism that will finally give them the answers they have sought for so long.”

Mr Benn said he and Mr Harris had agreed to meet again before the end of May. - PA