The chief commissioner of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) has described the Irish government's persistent failure to engage with the body as 'extremely frustrating' for bereaved families and staff. Sir Declan Morgan made the remarks while giving evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee at Westminster.
Irish Government's Stance Hampers Investigations
The ICRIR was established by the previous Conservative government under the contentious Legacy Act. The current UK government has committed to major reforms, agreed with the Irish government, but these have not yet been enacted. The Irish government has stated it will not share information with the commission until the reforms become law, arguing the current format is not human rights compliant. Earlier this month, it emerged that the commission had written to the Garda on eight occasions regarding 10 murders, receiving no replies.
Sir Declan told MPs: 'There are a group of cases which haven't come to us, because the victims and survivors feel that they will not get answers to their questions unless Ireland is going to play its part in providing information.' He added that the lack of information flow affects the commission's ability to develop cases and causes 'considerable delay'.
Internal Culture and Funding Issues
The committee also examined a critical independent review by former senior Stormont civil servant Peter May, which identified a 'toxic' and 'divided' working culture within the ICRIR. Peter Sheridan, commissioner for investigations, acknowledged the findings but attributed them to the organisation being 'under stress constantly'. He said: 'We were not a mature organisation that failed to maintain standards. We were a startup organisation that were expected to perform as a mature organisation from day one, under demand that outstripped every projection.'
Sir Declan highlighted that the commission has only half the staff and resources needed to do the job, contributing to frustration. He noted: 'This is over two years on that we find ourselves in this situation and, understandably, I think that does create frustration.'
Progress and Future Reports
The commission is currently handling 123 live investigations. Alliance MP Sorcha Eastwood questioned why no final reports have been issued despite £60 million spent. Sir Declan said the first report is expected 'within a matter of weeks'. Peter May expressed confidence that the culture could change, noting the commission draws staff from diverse backgrounds and needs time to establish its own culture.
