The Report of the Consultative Group on the Past in Northern Ireland: Second Report of Session 2009-10 Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee today publishes its report on the Consultative Group on the Past in Northern Ireland Report ("HCP 171, session 2009-10", ISBN 9780215542687). This report concludes the Committee's inquiry into the feasibility of implementing the proposals made in the Report of the Consultative Group on the Past in Northern Ireland. The Committee reached the following conclusions, including: that Northern Ireland has not yet reached a consensus on how to move on from its recent past; also, it is not clear that Northern Ireland needs a Legacy Commission when bodies such as the Victims and Survivors Commission and the Historical Enquiries Team are already dealing in different ways with aspects of the legacy of the Troubles; and, that healthcare services, particularly mental health services, for those affected by the Troubles are under strong pressure. The Committee also reached the following conclusions: that any future Legacy Commission should be chaired, or co-chaired, by figures from Northern Ireland rather than by a foreign figurehead; that the Northern Ireland Assembly, rather than the UK Government, should ultimately be responsible for decisions on how to fund a Legacy Commission - and therefore on the width of its remit; and, that clarification is required on what role the Irish Government would play in setting up such a Commission, and in particular on what financial contribution it would be expected to make.