Aontú's European Convention On Human Rights (Challenge To British Government Amnesty) Bill 2023 has made its way through the first stage of the Dáil. The Bill mandates the Irish Government to advise the British Government that if it implements the legacy bill, the Irish Government will bring it to the European Court of Human Rights.
The Northern Ireland Troubles Legacy and Reconciliation Bill is nearing the end of its journey through Westminster and has been described locally as "a devastating blow" to victims and survivors in the north of Ireland.
Aontú leader and Meath West TD Peadar Tóibín, told Northern Sound, that it's impossible to overstate the anger and heart break the legacy bill is causing. He added that families have "battled" for decades to achieve truth and justice for their loved ones and are now faced with a future where the door to justice and truth will close in on them.
"The British Bill will give murderers an amnesty for the most vicious and heinous murders; it will allow people get away with murder. So many families lost loved ones to British murder, British collusion and cover up.
"In some cases 50 years has passed since those devastating acts. Now, the British Governments want to encode into law the cover up of what happened. The Legacy Bill is the son and heir of cover up and collusion by the British State.
"So many families and so many campaigns have fought in some cases generations for truth and justice. Some have, through blood sweat and tears, managed to actually get to investigation stage, to inquest stage top police ombudsman stage.
"This Bill will even stop investigations that are up and running already. The Tory Party Legacy Bill is a unilateral move that damages significantly the relationship between Britain and Ireland. It is unique in drawing the opposition from every political party in Ireland, north and south.
"It drives a coach and four through the bilateral processes that created the Good Friday Agreement in the first place. The British Government had the cheek to ask the Irish Government to cooperate even though they have given the two fingers to the opposition of the Irish government throughout the process," said Deputy Tobin.
