Sinn Féin MP Chris Hazzard has called on the Irish government to pursue an interstate case against the British government’s Legacy Act following an appeal by the PSNI for information into the murder of Peter McCormack in 1992.

The South Down MP said:

“Last year’s ruling from Justice Humpreys was a watershed moment for families in south Down. It highlighted the ‘damning levels’ of collusion between loyalist paramilitaries and the state during the conflict.

“The court highlighted flaws in the original investigation, including the failure of the RUC, and later the PSNI to properly investigate and share new evidence. 

“The PSNI has now belatedly appealed for information relating to this murder. We expect that this appeal for information is the first step in providing the survivors of the Thierafurth attack and all those linked to this case by the 2016 Police Ombudsman’s report with a proper investigation into loyalist attacks in south Down in the 1990s.”

Chris Hazzard added:

“This week, one of the survivors of the Thierafurth attack, John McEvoy, will go to court to challenge the British government’s shameful Legacy Act.

“The British government wishes to pull the shutters down on investigations like that of the Thierafurth attack to block victims, survivors and families from ever getting justice through the courts and to hide the role of British state forces and their agencies in the conflict. 

“The Irish government must take an interstate case against the British government to remove the burden of legal action from individual families. This would also show them standing up for all those impacted by this cruel legislation and, importantly, would fast track the process.”