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North's coroners can now access Garda testimony

The Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Act 2019 has been commenced. Justice minister Charlie Flanagan said the act is an important step in the Government’s commitment to agreed measures to address the legacy of the Troubles.

The new law will enhance co-operation with coroners’ inquests into historical deaths in the North, and will underpin the Government’s commitment to full co-operation with measures set out in the Stormont House Agreement. 

Mechanism

The act will enable coroners to access relevant testimony from An Garda Síochána. It will also provide a structured mechanism to enhance co-operation with a number of bodies dealing with deaths related to the Troubles. 

These include the Historical Investigations Unit, to be established in the North, and the Ireland-UK Independent Commission on Information Retrieval, both of which arise from the Stormont House Agreement.