Aontú Leader Peadar Tóibín has cautiously welcomed moves by the Government that could lead to an interstate case against the British Government over their Legacy Act.
Speaking in the Dáil today, the Meath West TD said:
“This year the Tory Government passed the Legacy Act through the British Houses of Parliament. This Act is the son and heir of the British Military’s policy of the cover up of the killings of Irish people, north and south.
The Legacy Act is designed so that British Military can get away with the murder. It slams the door on the tortuous campaigns for truth and justice by families.
This was a unilateral move by the British Government. It’s two fingers to your government, the rule of law, every victim’s family and every political party in Ireland. It drives a couch and 4 through the Good Friday Agreement.
Society in the north is in freefall. The democratic institutions have been gutted by the Undemocratic Unionist party’s boycott.
Democratic institutions are not ornaments. Democracy is a human right, a human right that has been denied to Irish people in the north by a disinterested Tory Government in London and a disinterest Dublin administration.
The Tories have reduced the Irish Government to bystanders on key aspects of the Good Friday agreement. I don’t think the government has the self-awareness to understand that you have been humiliated by the Tory Government.
The only way that a stop can be put to the Legacy Act is that the Dublin Government takes a case to the European Court of Human Rights. This case has to be taken before the 18th of January. There are 36 days for the Government to take this case.
Whilst I’m glad that today the Taoiseach has confirmed that Ministers will make a decision prior to the deadline, it has to be the right decision. Victims will not forgive any further delay by the Government, their access to truth and justice now depend on it.”
ENDS
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