Congressman Brendan Boyle led the way Wednesday for Irish American political criticism of passage of the British government's controversial legacy bill.
In a statement, the Philadelphia Democrat said the U.K. government’s passage of the controversial legacy legislation would deny justice "to thousands of families who were victims of the Troubles."
Stated Boyle, who was recently in Ireland as part of a congressional delegation: “It is shameful that the UK government today passed its so-called Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy & Reconciliation) bill through the House of Commons.
"Simply put, this legislation will deny justice to thousands of families, across all communities in Northern Ireland, who were victims of violence during the Troubles.
“In 2014, by way of the Stormont House Agreement, the British government promised to investigate lingering and controversial killings that took place during that period, including those committed in collusion with British state forces. Today, the UK government broke that promise.”
The House of Commons, according to an Irish Times report, voted by 288 to 205 to reject amendments introduced in the House of Lords on Tuesday which would have altered the conditions required for a perpetrator to receive immunity for prosecution and included consent from victims’ families.
The legacy bill will now return to the Lords next week, but, added the report, parliamentary convention means it will not be opposed, and will instead proceed to receive royal assent and become law.
The new law is expected to be challenged in the courts by victims’ families and human rights groups in Northern Ireland," the Times report stated.
As reported in today's print edition of the Echo, the Irish government is considering legal action against the British government in the European Court of Human Rights over the legacy measure.
