The UK government has decided to repeal the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act, 2023. This law, enacted last year under the previous Conservative government, had halted inquests, civil cases, and criminal prosecutions linked to the period of violence known as “The Troubles”.
The act was intended to promote reconciliation, almost 30 years after the violence, which claimed over 3,600 lives, ended with the Good Friday Agreement in 1998. However, it was fiercely criticized by victims and bereaved families, who argued that it denied them justice by offering conditional immunity to some suspects, including British soldiers and paramilitaries, if they cooperated with inquiries.
New Title: New Legislation and Path Forward for Victims
In a statement, the government said, “The UK government will repeal and replace the Legacy Act, including ending the undeliverable promise of immunity for terrorists and put in place six new protections and rights for veterans.” The new legislation will also allow “the small number of inquests that were stopped in their tracks by the Legacy Act to resume.”
This agreement follows a year of talks aimed at resolving differences over the legacy of the Troubles. Britain’s Northern Ireland secretary, Hilary Benn, said the new framework offers an opportunity to deal with the “unfinished business” of the Good Friday Agreement. Irish deputy premier Simon Harris stated that the deal lays the groundwork for a “profound transformation” in how the legacy of the Troubles is handled.
The plan also includes the renaming and reform of a controversial body—the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR)—which was established under the 2023 Legacy Act. The scores of civil cases and inquests that were halted included many that allegedly involved British security forces as well as paramilitaries, though this provision was later struck down after legal action by victims’ groups.
