The Tánaiste has stated that both the Irish and British governments are engaging in intensive talks to agree on new legacy measures for Northern Ireland, reports RTE.
Simon Harris made the comments following the end of a British Irish Council summit held in Northern Ireland.
While legacy wasn’t a main agenda item, it was discussed informally, including during talks between Mr Harris and Northern Secretary Hilary Benn on the previous evening.
DUP leader Gavin Robinson strongly criticised Mr Benn, referring to him as “hapless Hilary”, reports RTE.
He accused Mr Benn of favouring the Irish Government while withholding key information from others.
“The Irish Government have knowledge of and influence upon UK Legacy plans, yet Northern Ireland victims, veterans and Parliamentarians are kept in the dark by the Secretary of State without so much as a blush on his face,” reports RTE.
“Not for the first time, he advances a one-sided, partisan approach to the politics of Northern Ireland,” reports RTE.
In response, Mr Benn defended his engagement with Irish officials.
He referred to legacy as the “unfinished business” of the Good Friday Agreement and said it was everyone’s duty to help find a resolution, reports RTE.
Mr Robinson also targeted the Irish Government, claiming it demanded openness on crimes in Northern Ireland but was less transparent about violent acts organised or carried out in the Republic.
Mr Harris denied that accusation and said Ireland had cooperated with multiple UK inquiries into violence during the Troubles.
“What I would say to Gavin, respectfully, and I’ve said this to him when I met him, the country that I represent will play our part as well in relation to legacy. We’ve shown that already on a number of occasions, and we will absolutely in any legacy framework, want to make sure that all victims, all families, regardless of where the island of Ireland an atrocity occured, can get answers, can get truth,” reports RTE.
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