The Ulster Unionist Party’s Justice Spokesperson, Doug Beattie MC MLA, has called on the new government in Dublin to face up to the role played by the Republic during the Troubles.  

Doug Beattie MC MLA said:

“The Irish Coalition agreement has a section entitled, ‘Legacy’ which makes very interesting reading  indeed. The initial line states ‘we are committed to working with the UK Government and the political parties in Northern Ireland to address the painful legacy of the Troubles.’

“It then refers to the Stormont House Agreement, completely failing to acknowledge that the SHA has been entirely discredited in terms of its legacy arrangements as far as unionists and many victims groups are concerned.

“It goes on to mention a number of terrorist incidents which occurred in the Republic and were believed to have been planned and carried out from within Northern Ireland, but there is incredibly no recognition whatsoever of the role played by the Republic in the Troubles. Indeed, one could be left with the very mistaken impression that the Republic was the equivalent of a passive bystander, when that couldn’t be further from the truth.  

“If there is ever to be a serious examination of the Troubles and the legacy they have left, then there needs to be an honest assessment and acknowledgement of the role played by the Republic. This will include the presence of IRA arms dumps and training camps on its territory, the network of safe houses, the hundreds of gun and bomb attacks the IRA was able to mount from the Republic against targets in Northern Ireland, the ethnic cleansing campaign against border Protestants, the burial of the bodies of the disappeared in unmarked graves, collusion between rogue elements of the Garda and the IRA as was proven in the Smithwick investigation into the murder of RUC officers Breen and Buchanan, the ease with which IRA terrorists were able to live freely in the Republic and the overwhelming difficulties the UK repeatedly faced in trying to extradite terrorist suspects from the Republic.   

“If the new Dublin Government really wants to ’address the painful legacy of the Troubles’  then it could start by delivering the meaningful co-operation long-promised to the families of the victims of the 1976 Kingsmills massacre, and demonstrating its bona fides. Actions really do speak louder than words.”