Committee publication · Correspondence · 15 July 2026
Correspondence from the Northern Ireland Office relating to the independent review of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery, 26 June 2026.
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Inquiry: The Peter May Review of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery
Summary
The Northern Ireland Office responds to committee questions about information-sharing arrangements for legacy investigations. It welcomes the Irish Government's General Scheme of the Legacy of the Troubles Bill 2026, which will enable An Garda Síochána to share information with the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). The NIO argues interim arrangements could proceed pending full legislative implementation, citing the Dillon judgment's confirmation of ICRIR's human rights compliance.
Key findings
- The Joint Framework (September 2025) committed the Irish Government to unprecedented information-sharing with the ICRIR; the NIO welcomes the published General Scheme enabling this.
- The Irish legislation will permit An Garda Síochána reciprocal information-sharing agreements on live investigations and cooperation in inquests and public inquiries, including oral witness evidence.
- The ICRIR currently lacks information-sharing arrangements with Irish authorities, causing investigative delays that the Chief Commissioner has described as 'essential' to resolve.
- The NIO believes interim arrangements could be established under the Dillon judgment (which found ICRIR capable of human rights-compliant investigations) pending full legislative passage.
- The Secretary of State has raised the importance of interim arrangements with Irish Minister McEntee and will continue to do so; the NIO is identifying candidates for the Section 36 statutory review.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Holly Clark, Northern Ireland Office, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Gavin Robinson MP, Irish Government, An Garda Síochána, Sir Declan Morgan, Minister McEntee
Notable line
“National security is the first responsibility of any government, and it is important that any information sharing agreements made across national jurisdictions remain consistent with this principle.”
Key Quotes
“The Joint Framework agreed in September 2025 committed to unprecedented information-sharing commitments by the Irish Government …”
“There is no doubt that sharing of information by the Irish authorities will be hugely important for legacy investigations and I note that Sir Declan Morgan, the Chief Commissioner of the ICRIR, has described this as "essential".”
“In light of the Dillon judgment, which found the ICRIR to be capable of conducting effective and human rights compliant investigations …”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗