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CONSEQUENCES FOR UK-Irish relations cannot be ruled out because of legal action over the Troubles Legacy Bill, a Northern Ireland Office minister has said.
Jonathan Caine said he deeply regretted the decision by the Irish Government to launch an interstate case over the UK’s Act to deal with the legacy of the Northern Ireland Troubles.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar had said his government was left with “no option” but to legally challenge the UK government over the Legacy Act.
The Taoiseach said the “strong” legal advice was that the UK Legacy Act breached the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Act received royal assent in September despite widespread opposition from political parties, victims’ organisations in Northern Ireland and the Irish Government.
Aspects of the laws include a limited form of immunity from prosecution for Troubles-related offences for those who co-operate with the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
The new Act will also halt future civil cases and legacy inquests.
Multiple Troubles victims and family members are supporting a separate legal challenge against aspects of the Act at Belfast High Court.
Caine told the BBC Good Morning Ulster programme: “We deeply regret the fact that the Irish have decided unilaterally to take this case in the Strasbourg court.
“Of course we highly value the relationship with the Irish Government – it’s a hugely important bilateral relationship for us.
“Can I rule out any consequences? The answer is no.”
The Irish Government’s legal challenge has been welcomed by a number of families of Troubles victims.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson accused Dublin of “double standards” and challenged the Irish Government to say what it is doing to deal with Troubles legacy cases in its jurisdiction.
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Maybe the Journalist can ask Eamon why they gave lower tax to the newer diesel cars post 08 and charged the f##k out of petrol and diesel cars pre 08.
@Dave Byrne: To be fair that was because diesel engines have lower CO2 emissions…..However at the time the level of NO2 emissions from diesel cars was not correctly known….
@iComment:
Now you can’t be combating rants with logic, that’s not on around here
We will make allowances as you are only on here 6 months…..
I believe that we can all do our bit to protect the environment but we are a small island in a big world until the big countries like the states Russia and China do make a change we are just pissing in the wind….envoirmentatist s are just pissing in the wind here with their protesting nothing is going to change and sadly nothing ever will
@Michael: Not entirely true – It only takes one small country to make a breakthrough on cheaper alternatives and the other players will be happy to adopt and pay for the privilege.
Imagine if we were that country, and exporting all sorts of new cheaper renewable technology as well as our expertise in the area.
But first we need to lose the notion that we can’t make a dent.
If nothing else, nice clean air. Currently if you are living in certain Irish cities you might as well be smoking with all the crap you take into your lungs just from a walk about.
@Gavin Conran: Well we export all our rubbish as it is so I guess we could start dealing with it at source instead of getting ahead of yourself and renewable technologies.
@Michael: ok we cant change the world but why not make our country as clean as possible, its us that breath the toxics from diesel engines on our streets, its us that cant enjoy our lakes and rivers if they are polluted etc etc
@ThatLJD: Recycling is a crock that isn’t working. The only real solution is to have less humans on this planet
Despite being a wealthy man; how do you expect your ‘target audience’ pay for your initiatives?
Eamonn is like Broccoli,
Possibly good for you,
But impossible to like.
@Niall Power:
Nice one
Some time back someone more educated than myself said that they prefer questions that they can’t answer than answers that they can’t question.
And that is the quandary that Mr Ryan finds himself in.
His remit is total communism, agree with me or else you’re for Siberia.
You do not question my answer.
A facist of the first order.
@Garry Coll: Fascist. At least get the spelling right.
@Garry Coll: A fascist communist?
@Garry Coll: I think he is one best politicians we have, constantly sees the positive changes we can make and is happy to evolve his position and accept new ideas
Ah! The power at any price TD – even over his supposed principles. He lost the public service vote for the greens over the pay cuts – the lower paid and some senior over transferred to SF. In my opinion he’s responsible for the resurgence of SF.
@680199:
I’m sure he would be delighted if that was true as he could then take credit for the subsequent halving of SF councilors (159 down to 81) and more than tripling of Green seats (12 up to 39)
Or will you only give him credit for bad news?
God be with the days when we had 12 years to save the planet…….https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/science-environment-48964736?__twitter_impression=true
@iComment: greens promised poolbeg incinerator would never be built…..
@SFNutters: How about you hold the people who did make the decision accountable.
@Felicity Hensen: the greens were in govt…promised to stop it and didn’t….the others promised to build it and did….you see the problem?
@SFNutters: How much power do you think 6 seats gets you in government?
The environmental scare is the biggest hoax ever.This is a very clever left wing assault on capitalism.
@Robert Dungan: Eh. Temperatures rising is a fact. What is in dispute is whether humans can do anything about it
Willie O’Dea, the total sum of Eamonn Ryan’s political career . Saving Willie’s arse is all he’ll ever be remembered for.
The Dodder back in the headlines 18 years after an 80,000 pounds cleanup following an illegal encampment on its bank
Ryan k*ob end of
The Greens
There is a small party
They’re Called the Greens
Heads up their a55es
Where the real world cant be seen
Once were in Power
What did they do?
They Screwed over people
Like me and You
Made us buy Diesel
Because its so clean
Now the say NO
But what can it mean
Fill in the blanks. C U N TUESDAY!
@Hello DAVE!: I think you’ve made a mess of delivering that joke
Ryan knob end of
Let’s judge him on his deeds, not his words. Useless windbag.
Judge him on his deeds, not his words.
Useless windbag.
If the Greens don’t go into government, Saoirse McHugh will be paving the way for FF/FG to control the Dáil indefinitely. After 2016 election, the socialist parties made the current situation possible by refusing to look at going into government. What’s the point in electing TDs who only want to be shouting from the opposition benches? The objective should be to try to get into government to implement as many of your policies as possible.
Sometimes his inner “neo-liberal” comes out.
Few questions?
Does “inner” mean “on the surface” now?
Does Eamon have a different definition of “in” than everybody else? Is it the exact opposite of what I’m thinking?
He’s correct about public transport
have your say