Northern Ireland

Ian Paisley hits out at Republic's parties following pledge to seek documents about loyalist attacks

DUP MP Ian Paisley jnr
DUP MP Ian Paisley jnr DUP MP Ian Paisley jnr

DUP MP Ian Paisley has hit out at parties in the Republic following a pledge to seek documents relating to loyalist attacks in the state.

He was speaking as a Northern Ireland Office minister indicated it had no "pre-sight" of the urgent commitment in a draft programme for government by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens.

The coalition deal, which has now to be ratified by party members, says it will work with the UK Government and Stormont parties to "address the painful legacy of the Troubles" as agreed through the Stormont House Agreement.

But it adds that it will engage "as a matter of priority" with the British government "with a view to ensuring access by an independent, international judicial figure to all original documents relating to the Dublin and Monaghan bombings, as well as the Dublin bombings of 1972 and 1971, the bombing of Kay’s Tavern (in Dundalk) and the murder of Seamus Ludlow (in Co Louth in 1976) – in accordance with the all-party Dáil motions on these matters."

During a meeting of Westminster's Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, North Antrim MP Ian Paisley asked NIO minister Robin Walker whether the announcement had been a surprise.

He also accused the Irish parties of a "one-dimensional interest" in legacy matters.

"They don't seem to mention the murder of British civilians and British soldiers that were taken to the Republic of Ireland and murdered and slaughtered there and dumped on our border," he said.

Mr Walker said the announcement was "not something of which we necessarily had pre-sight".

"Legacy issues, we all recognise, are hugely sensitive and I do recognise, having met some of the victims' groups in border areas, the deep concern that there is about some of those cross-border cases.

"I think it is absolutely right that the legacy process should seek to address those as well as issues that took place within Northern Ireland and the wider UK.

"But these are matters that need sensitive handling between the governments and that is something we will absolutely continue to invest in."