‘Appalling approach’ by Secretary of State over legacy process redesign

Secretary of State Hilary Benn’s approach to the redesign of a process to deal with Northern Ireland’s troubled past has been blasted as “appalling”.

Stormont deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said she wants reassurance that victims have been placed at the heart of the process which she said has been “opaque”.

Mr Benn said last week that he believes he is close to being able to announce a fresh agreement on dealing with legacy, revealing he been in discussion with the Irish Government.

It comes after the Labour Government committed to “repeal and replace” the former government’s controversial Legacy Act.

During questions for the Executive Office in the Assembly on Monday, DUP MLA Diane Dodds accused Mr Benn of “running to Dublin”.

She said many are angry at that approach, claiming that Dublin has “never admitted its role”, and not co-operated with the Omagh Bombing Inquiry.

She added there has also been no justice for the families of some who were killed south of the Irish border by terrorists, including farmer Ian Sproule, Lord Justice Gibson and the Hanna family.

Ms Little-Pengelly said the approach to legacy “must always have justice at the heart of it”.

She said the process towards a new approach to legacy has been “opaque at best” and referred to “extensive consultations with the Irish Government”.

“This is an appalling way to approach this,” she said.

“Victims should have been at the heart of the redesign of this process and I do not get any sense that that has happened.

“I think the Secretary of State has asked for views, he has taken them in, and we are to wait to see what he, in all of his judgment will say.

“I notice that there has been a reshuffle, a significant reshuffle, of the UK Government and I have to say that thus far, quite frankly, it has been shambolic by this Labour government, and I think it is time for them to get their act together.

“While I may not be optimistic, I think I am hopeful that a reshuffle is an opportunity for them to do so.

“Should have been some legacy and many other issues. This is a UK Government that needs to get a grip, needs to get a grip of our economy, it needs to get a grip on immigration, it needs to get a grip on tackling the internal barriers to the UK internal market and it needs to get a grip on legacy and start to talk to the people most impacted by it.”

Ms Dodds also criticised the attendance of First Minister Michelle O’Neill at republican memorial events.

Ms Little-Pengelly responded: “It is worth reiterating time and time again that terrorism was always wrong, that violence was always wrong, there was never any justification and there was always an alternative.”

She said she has spoken to families bereaved by terrorism who feel their loss is being mocked and laughed about, and those who carried out the attacks being glorified.

“That is wrong, I disagree with the glorification of terrorism, should it be about the IRA, IRA prisoners, UVF, UDA. There is no space for it, it needs to go away and it is absolutely wrong, and I do believe that police need to take a very robust line in tackling the glorification of terrorism.”