Families hit back at NI Secretary's comments on Troubles' legacy bill

Families affected by the Troubles have voiced strong objections to recent remarks made by the Northern Ireland secretary regarding the legacy bill. The secretary expressed concern that "some people have misunderstood the purpose" of the legislation, stating its aim was "about getting answers for families."

Claire Hayes, whose brother Alan Radford died in the Omagh bombing, described Sir Chris Heaton-Harris's comments as "vague." Kate Nash, whose brother William was killed on Bloody Sunday in Londonderry, asserted that there was no misunderstanding on the part of the families.

The government has faced criticism for the slow progress of the Troubles' legacy bill, introduced last year following a joint framework agreement with the Irish government. Labour's proposed bill aims to replace the controversial Legacy Act, which had banned inquests and civil actions related to Troubles-era incidents.

Speaking on Monday, Sir Chris announced that the government would introduce amendments to the legislation "in the next few days." He emphasized the government's responsibility to "make sure we get answers for families" who have endured decades of "pain and anguish." He added, "We've got to step up to the plate, the Irish government has got to step up to the plate and we need to do that in lockstep."

Alan Radford, Claire Hayes's brother, was 16 when he was killed in the Real IRA's Omagh bombing on August 15, 1998, an attack that claimed 29 lives, including a pregnant woman carrying twins.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster on Tuesday, Hayes found Sir Chris's response "quite vague for anybody to be able to grasp." She also expressed skepticism about his optimism regarding the Irish government working "lockstep" with the British government, stating, "That is never going to happen for a start." Hayes continued, "He is putting so much emphasis that they are going to do that, I can categorically tell you now that will never happen. There has been no justice and that is where we need to put the focus on, the fact that there was a failing of justice in all of these cases, the majority of them to see the least, it should have started in the courts with criminal convictions to start off with."

Kate Nash's 19-year-old brother, William, was shot dead on Bloody Sunday, and her father, Alexander, was seriously injured. On January 30, 1972, 13 people were fatally shot and at least 15 others wounded when members of the Army's Parachute Regiment opened fire on civil rights demonstrators in the Bogside, a predominantly Catholic area of Londonderry. A fourteenth person later died.

Nash stated, "I think we don't misunderstand at all, I think in my own case after 54 years of misunderstanding we do understand exactly. There has always been immunity there for soldiers, and the like and they have always had that protection even on the Saville Inquiry. They have had 54 years to get this right and they haven't still, what they need to do is use the justice system honestly that's what they failed to do."

The new plan includes a Legacy Commission to investigate Troubles-related killings, a separate information recovery body, and a dedicated legacy unit within An Garda Síochána (Irish police). The UK government has also proposed a package of protections for veterans. However, some MPs, including those from Northern Ireland, argue that these measures are insufficient and seek to amend the bill to include stronger legal protections.

Sir Chris reiterated to Irish broadcaster RTÉ his concern that "some people have misunderstood the purpose of the bill," emphasizing its goal of providing answers to families. He stressed that this would only be achieved through "transparency" from both Westminster and the Irish government.

On Tuesday, Sinn Féin MP John Finucane, whose father Pat Finucane was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in north Belfast in 1989, asserted that "it is clear that isn't a problem of families misunderstanding the legislation, the concerns that they have are real, they are substantive." He added, "The answer isn't to explain the legislation better, it is to make the legislation better. Legacy is far too important to get wrong again and the objective isn't simply to get legislation on to the statute books, the objective has to be to get it right for families who have already waited far too long for truth and justice." Finucane emphasized that "essential to all of this has to be equality before the law, so nobody, absolutely nobody, including British state veterans should receive preferential treatment because of who they are, or who they served with."

Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) assembly member Phillip Brett, whose brother Gavin was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in Glengormley, County Antrim, in July 2001, stated that "it is clear there are concerns right across the board with the proposals from the Labour government in relation to this legislation." He added, "I think it is important to recognise that at the core of legislation we need something that deals with the need for victims and survivors because they have witnessed for years legacy here in Northern Ireland be corrupted, be that through the Belfast Agreement with the release of terrorists or be that through the royal prerogative of mercy given to people after the Belfast Agreement." Brett concluded, "We are determined to deliver legislation that ensures that all people in Northern Ireland, all victims in Northern Ireland are able to get truth and justice."