Secretary of State begins process of repealing Legacy Act | Global News Avenue

The Northern Ireland Secretary has begun the process of formally repealing the controversial bill Heritage Act.

The bill, introduced by the Conservative government, bans investigations and civil proceedings into incidents that occurred during civil unrest.

It also seeks conditional amnesty for people suspected of Troubles-related crimes in exchange for co-operation with a new information recovery agency.

labor Pledge to repeal the Heritage Act If they win the July election.

The bill is opposed by victims’ groups and all major political parties in Northern Ireland.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Hilary Benn said he was working on a “remedial order” to formally remove the qualified immunity clause and the ban on new civil actions in the bill.

Ben said he would also introduce legislation to lift the ban on interrogations.

“The steps I have outlined today aim to right the wrongs of the previous government’s approach, ensure compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights and deliver on this government’s commitments.”

“Remove conditional immunity, resume estate inquests stopped by the Bill, resume civil cases and reform the ICRIR (Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery) while enabling it to continue its work on behalf of the growing number of families already seeking compensation. It ”

Benn also said the government “will further reform and strengthen” the ICRIR’s “independence, powers and accountability.”

“I will now discuss further the specific measures contained in the main legislation so that, together with the Redress Order, the Government delivers on its commitment to repeal and replace the old law.”

“This will include families, victim and survivor groups, Northern Ireland political parties, civil society and the veterans community, recognizing the dedication of the vast majority of police, members of the armed forces and security services who contribute so much to keeping the peace. The people of Northern Ireland were safe during the Troubles.”

Speaking in the House of Commons, DUP MP Sammy Wilson said the Secretary of State’s decisions on investigations and civil cases “will not result in terrorists being brought to court”.

He added: “This will only result in older members of the security forces being dragged into court again and suffering for the services they provided in Northern Ireland.”

SDLP MP Claire Hanna MP said her party welcomed the announcement, particularly the “removal of the immunity scheme, the resumption of civil cases and the resumption of those legacy investigations that had been discontinued”.

But challenges remain, she added, and “failing to properly deal with the past limits our ability to have a different shared future”.

The bill is the government’s controversial attempt to “distune” itself from the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

this is the first Proposed by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2021 as a solution to end what he called the “unwarranted prosecution” of former soldiers.

The bill was passed in 2023.

It creates a new legacy agency called ICRIR to take over all Troubles cases from 1 May 2024, including those handled by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

The bill ended all historical inquiries.

The bill’s most controversial element, which offered qualified immunity to suspects, has been withdrawn following legal action by the deceased’s family.

The Court ruled that this part of the Act was incompatible with human rights legislation and the Windsor Framework.

In late July, the Labor government wrote to a Belfast court to abandon its appeal against the removal of the amnesty clause from the legislation.

The estate law was met with widespread opposition.

Several victims’ groups; all Northern Ireland political parties, the Labor Party and the Irish Government have criticized this from the outset.

They believe this denies justice to the families of the deceased and the injured.