Sinn Féin Leas Uachtarán and Joint Head of Government in the north, Michelle O’Neill MLA has called on the British Secretary of State to fully implement the legacy mechanisms agreed in the Stormont House Agreement.

Michelle O’Neill said:

“The British government committed to mechanisms to address the legacy of the past in the Stormont House Agreement in 2014 but to date have failed to implement them.

“In the New Decade, New Approach document the British government committed to bringing forward proposals on legacy within 100 days but has failed to do so.

“Instead it has brought forward proposals which are wholly unacceptable and represent a clear departure from both the Stormont House Agreement and the New Decade, New Approach document.

“These proposals are an attempt by the British government to unilaterally rewrite the Stormont House Agreement which was agreed by the main parties as well as the British and Irish governments.

“There has also been no meaningful consultation with the political parties here on this issue.

“All of this has added to the frustration and disappointment of families bereaved by the conflict, some of whom have been waiting up to five decades for access to the truth about what happened to their loved ones.

“I have written to the British Secretary of State to make it clear that the British government cannot cherry pick the Stormont House Agreement and must fulfil its commitments by implementing the agreed legacy mechanisms in a human rights complaint manner as a matter of urgency.”