The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Hilary Benn has today published the May Review Report, and written to the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee with the Department’s response.
The May Review of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR) was commissioned following concerns about ICRIR’s corporate effectiveness and culture.
The publication of the report, along with the Department’s response and the actions being taken to address the findings, is in line with commitments in a Written Ministerial Statement made last month.
The review, carried out by former Northern Ireland Civil Service permanent secretary Peter May, identified that the organisation has been facing a number of problems linked to internal governance and culture at senior levels.
The NIO has been working with ICRIR in making the necessary improvements to support it in delivering its important work for victims and their families.
The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, currently progressing through Parliament, will make significant reforms to ICRIR, which will become the Legacy Commission. The Bill is the only viable way to generate confidence across communities, enable information sharing by the Irish authorities and put in place the necessary safeguards for our former service personnel.
The Secretary of State said
I am grateful to Peter May for this review which he undertook earlier this year and to the dedicated staff at ICRIR who contributed to it. It was right that the findings were shared first by ICRIR with its staff.
ICRIR was set up to undertake complex and sensitive investigations relating to deaths and serious injuries during the Troubles. Its senior leadership team has a duty to uphold the organisation’s values and those of the wider public sector to ensure victims, survivors and their families can have confidence in the organisation’s ability to deliver.
I am deeply concerned to see some of the findings in Peter May’s Review. What has been identified is unacceptable and falls below the standards expected. It is for ICRIR Board to take whatever steps are necessary and appropriate to address this.
Since receiving the findings, I have met each of the Commissioners individually and a joint ICRIR-NIO oversight committee has been established to ensure that the review’s recommendations are swiftly addressed. An action plan has also been published alongside the Review today.
Through the Troubles Bill, this Government is committed to reforming ICRIR – which will become the Legacy Commission – to improve the process for all involved and build wider confidence. Nothing must detract from the continuation of the Commission’s vital work to help families to find the answers they have long been searching for.