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| Troubles: New legacy deal 'a day and night improvement' | Troubles: New legacy deal 'a day and night improvement' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| More than 3,500 people lost their lives during the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland | More than 3,500 people lost their lives during the 30-year conflict in Northern Ireland |
| The legacy deal between the British and Irish governments is "a night and day improvement" on what is currently in place, the tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) will say later. | The legacy deal between the British and Irish governments is "a night and day improvement" on what is currently in place, the tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) will say later. |
| Simon Harris accepts agreement "has not been easy", but the new package will provide "maximum truth, justice and accountability" to victims. | Simon Harris accepts agreement "has not been easy", but the new package will provide "maximum truth, justice and accountability" to victims. |
| The "new framework", agreed between the British and Irish governments, is being unveiled on Friday. | The "new framework", agreed between the British and Irish governments, is being unveiled on Friday. |
| The deal seeks to heal a rift between London and Dublin created by the current Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act. | The deal seeks to heal a rift between London and Dublin created by the current Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act. |
| More details have been emerging on what has been agreed. | More details have been emerging on what has been agreed. |
| Inquests which had commenced but not ended before the current Legacy Act came into force last year will be restored. | Inquests which had commenced but not ended before the current Legacy Act came into force last year will be restored. |
| Others which had not begun will be reviewed to identify a way forward. | Others which had not begun will be reviewed to identify a way forward. |
| The Legacy Commission, born out the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), will have independent oversight. | The Legacy Commission, born out the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR), will have independent oversight. |
| It will have two new directors for investigations. | It will have two new directors for investigations. |
| It is understood changes to the ICRIR will also cover its commissioner for investigations role, a position held by former senior police officer Peter Sheridan. | It is understood changes to the ICRIR will also cover its commissioner for investigations role, a position held by former senior police officer Peter Sheridan. |
| Investigations by the commission will explore and exhaust all investigative leads. | Investigations by the commission will explore and exhaust all investigative leads. |
| Independent judges will preside over the commission's 'inquisitorial' public hearings, with families legally represented. | Independent judges will preside over the commission's 'inquisitorial' public hearings, with families legally represented. |
| A cross-border Independent Commission on Information Retrieval will be set-up, initially for two years. | A cross-border Independent Commission on Information Retrieval will be set-up, initially for two years. |
| It will receive information on Troubles cases from individuals which cannot be used in prosecutions. | It will receive information on Troubles cases from individuals which cannot be used in prosecutions. |
| London and Dublin believe the two bodies reflect what was agreed, but never implemented, under the Stormont House Agreement in 2014. | London and Dublin believe the two bodies reflect what was agreed, but never implemented, under the Stormont House Agreement in 2014. |
| Republic of Ireland cooperation | Republic of Ireland cooperation |
| A dedicated legacy unit within the gardaí will be established and be operational by the end of this year, for co-operation on Troubles-related cases. | |
| Ireland will bring forward legislation, where required, to facilitate full cooperation with the Legacy Commission, once its reform is enacted in UK law. | |
| There will also be a ring-fenced €25m (about £21m) fund to support victim participation in legacy processes in Northern Ireland. | There will also be a ring-fenced €25m (about £21m) fund to support victim participation in legacy processes in Northern Ireland. |
| Hilary Benn (left) and Simon Harris, pictured here at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in April, will jointly launch the new agreement on Friday | Hilary Benn (left) and Simon Harris, pictured here at the British-Irish Intergovernmental Conference in April, will jointly launch the new agreement on Friday |
| Victims' groups and political parties have been briefed on the agreement, which will require new legislation to be passed in both the UK and Ireland in the months ahead. | Victims' groups and political parties have been briefed on the agreement, which will require new legislation to be passed in both the UK and Ireland in the months ahead. |
| Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and the Tánaiste (Irish deputy PM) Simon Harris will jointly launch the agreement. | Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn and the Tánaiste (Irish deputy PM) Simon Harris will jointly launch the agreement. |
| What is the Legacy Act? | What is the Legacy Act? |
| The current Legacy Act, passed by the last UK government in 2023, was widely opposed by Labour, all Northern Ireland parties, several victims' groups and the Irish government. | The current Legacy Act, passed by the last UK government in 2023, was widely opposed by Labour, all Northern Ireland parties, several victims' groups and the Irish government. |
| It created a new legacy body known as the ICRIR to take over all Troubles-era cases from 1 May 2024, including those on the desk of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. | It created a new legacy body known as the ICRIR to take over all Troubles-era cases from 1 May 2024, including those on the desk of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. |
| The act shut down all historical inquests. | The act shut down all historical inquests. |
| The act's most controversial element, the offer of conditional immunity to suspects, was disapplied following legal action by bereaved families. | The act's most controversial element, the offer of conditional immunity to suspects, was disapplied following legal action by bereaved families. |
| The court ruled this part of the act was incompatible with human rights legislation and the Windsor Framework. | The court ruled this part of the act was incompatible with human rights legislation and the Windsor Framework. |
| Labour pledged to repeal the Legacy Act and replace it after winning the last election, including agreeing a way forward with Dublin. | Labour pledged to repeal the Legacy Act and replace it after winning the last election, including agreeing a way forward with Dublin. |
| The act included controversial measures, such as allowing the ICRIR to grant conditional amnesties in return for information. | The act included controversial measures, such as allowing the ICRIR to grant conditional amnesties in return for information. |
| However, this and other aspects of the act were later ruled unlawful. | However, this and other aspects of the act were later ruled unlawful. |
| Ireland launched an inter-state case against the UK at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. | Ireland launched an inter-state case against the UK at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. |
| This is unlikely to be withdrawn until after the UK passes new legacy legislation, which will include the overhaul of the ICRIR. | This is unlikely to be withdrawn until after the UK passes new legacy legislation, which will include the overhaul of the ICRIR. |
| 'This could be doomed to fail' | 'This could be doomed to fail' |
| Emmett McConomy, whose 11-year-old brother Stephen was killed by a soldier in Londonderry in 1982, said he hopes the new framework will be "a step in the right direction" for the many people affected by the conflict in Northern Ireland. | Emmett McConomy, whose 11-year-old brother Stephen was killed by a soldier in Londonderry in 1982, said he hopes the new framework will be "a step in the right direction" for the many people affected by the conflict in Northern Ireland. |
| However, speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme ahead of the announcement, Mr McConomy expressed concern about the level of engagement both governments had undertaken with victims regarding the framework. | However, speaking to BBC Radio Foyle's North West Today programme ahead of the announcement, Mr McConomy expressed concern about the level of engagement both governments had undertaken with victims regarding the framework. |
| "Without proper buy-in from victims," he said, "this could sadly be doomed to fail." | "Without proper buy-in from victims," he said, "this could sadly be doomed to fail." |
| Emmett McConomy says any new framework must 'meet the needs of all victims' | Emmett McConomy says any new framework must 'meet the needs of all victims' |
| Shane Laverty's brother Robert, an 18-year-old Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) officer, was killed by the IRA while on duty in 1972. | |
| Mr Laverty told North West Today that he wanted "truth and honesty". | Mr Laverty told North West Today that he wanted "truth and honesty". |
| "My brother was not in [the RUC] to pursue anything other than a career and to help people." | "My brother was not in [the RUC] to pursue anything other than a career and to help people." |
| 'Poison and hatred' | 'Poison and hatred' |
| Jude Whyte, a victims campaigner whose mother was killed by a UVF bomb in 1984, said it "remains to be seen" whether the new legacy commission will be acceptable to families. | Jude Whyte, a victims campaigner whose mother was killed by a UVF bomb in 1984, said it "remains to be seen" whether the new legacy commission will be acceptable to families. |
| Mr Whyte told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster that he believes "politicians can't get us out of this mire, either in London, Dublin or even locally". | Mr Whyte told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster that he believes "politicians can't get us out of this mire, either in London, Dublin or even locally". |
| "The people who live in this part of the world have to make a decision and that decision is very simple... I want to leave something other than poison and hatred behind." | "The people who live in this part of the world have to make a decision and that decision is very simple... I want to leave something other than poison and hatred behind." |
| Kenny Donaldson, director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation, which supports victims and survivors, said "substantive work" seemed to have been done to "quell some of the significant concerns people had around independence and oversight... on the UK side of things". | Kenny Donaldson, director of the South East Fermanagh Foundation, which supports victims and survivors, said "substantive work" seemed to have been done to "quell some of the significant concerns people had around independence and oversight... on the UK side of things". |
| But he said there must be "a full and committed effort" by both the British and Irish governments to enable "real progress". | But he said there must be "a full and committed effort" by both the British and Irish governments to enable "real progress". |
| Gavin Robinson said the framework must be "victim-centred" | Gavin Robinson said the framework must be "victim-centred" |
| DUP leader Gavin Robinson told BBC Breakfast that "any outcome needs to be victim-centred". | DUP leader Gavin Robinson told BBC Breakfast that "any outcome needs to be victim-centred". |
| SDLP leader Claire Hanna added that the new framework was "probably the last chance we have to get this right". | SDLP leader Claire Hanna added that the new framework was "probably the last chance we have to get this right". |
| "Victims have waited for a long time," she said. | "Victims have waited for a long time," she said. |