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What is peace process and legacy reporting?
More than a quarter of a century after the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland reporting still spans two distinct strands: the ongoing functioning of devolved politics and power-sharing, and unresolved “legacy” issues from the Troubles — unsolved killings, disputed state conduct, and the search for truth and accountability that continues to shape political life.
This is one of the most legally and emotionally complex beats in UK journalism. Reporting decisions affect people who are still alive and grieving, institutions whose legitimacy remains contested by parts of the population, and a legal and political framework — most recently the Legacy Act and the ICRIR — that continues to change under legal challenge.
Why this beat matters
- 1Thousands of Troubles-related deaths remain unsolved, and many families have waited decades for an inquest, prosecution, or any authoritative account of what happened.
- 2The legal framework governing legacy cases has changed repeatedly and remains subject to litigation — accurate, up-to-date reporting is essential to public understanding.
- 3Devolved power-sharing at Stormont remains fragile, and reporting on its functioning (or collapse) has real consequences for public services delivered in Northern Ireland.
- 4Cross-community trust in institutions — policing, the courts, and now the ICRIR — is itself a story, not just a backdrop to one.
- 5Younger generations in Northern Ireland increasingly did not live through the Troubles directly, making careful, accurate context-setting essential rather than assumed.
The Legacy Act
Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023
Establishes a new framework for dealing with Troubles-related deaths and serious injuries, including the ICRIR, a conditional immunity scheme for those who cooperate with information recovery, and restrictions on civil litigation and legacy inquests for in-scope cases. The Act was opposed by every major Northern Ireland political party and by victims' groups at the time of passage.
Legal challenges and evolving status
Parts of the Act, including aspects of the conditional immunity scheme, have been found incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights by courts in Belfast and London. The legislative and litigation position continues to evolve — verify the current status of any specific provision with legislation.gov.uk and recent court judgments before reporting on it as fixed.
Impact on legacy inquests
Some legacy inquests that were well advanced were permitted to continue following legal challenges; new inquests into in-scope Troubles deaths are generally intended to be handled through the ICRIR process instead. Always confirm the status of a specific case with the Coroners Service for Northern Ireland or the ICRIR directly.
The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery
The ICRIR reviews Troubles-related deaths and serious injuries referred to it by families, and can conduct criminal investigations. Its information recovery process allows individuals to provide an account of their role in return for conditional immunity from prosecution for offences connected to the Troubles, provided the account is judged truthful.
- The ICRIR publishes case updates and final reports for families who have referred a case — these are primary source material for individual case stories.
- Its independence and effectiveness remain contested by victims' organisations and some political parties — treat claims about its performance from any single source with appropriate scrutiny.
- Families are not obliged to engage with the ICRIR and some have publicly stated they will not — respect and accurately represent that position rather than implying non-engagement equals disinterest in the truth.
- Contact the ICRIR press office directly for the current status of the commission's casework and any procedural changes following ongoing litigation.
Working sensitively with victims' families
Many families affected by Troubles-related deaths have engaged with journalists repeatedly over decades, sometimes with painful results. Approaches should be planned with the same care as any other post-traumatic interview: be transparent about the purpose of the story, give people real time to decide whether to speak, and do not promise an outcome (a prosecution, an apology, a change in the law) that is not within your control to deliver.
On-the-record engagement should always be the goal where a family is willing, since attributed accounts carry the greatest weight and respect. Where a family or source needs to speak off the record or on background — common where personal safety or ongoing legal proceedings are a concern — agree the precise terms before the conversation begins and hold to them.
Cross-community sourcing and organisations
Jargon glossary
Story ideas and angles
- Track the current legal status of the Legacy Act through recent judgments — has a new challenge changed what the ICRIR can and cannot do?
- Profile a family who has referred a case to the ICRIR: what has the process been like compared with a legacy inquest or Police Ombudsman investigation?
- FOI or request comment from the Coroners Service for Northern Ireland on the number of legacy inquests still outstanding and their current status.
- Examine how devolved institutions at Stormont are responding to the ICRIR's casework and public confidence in it.
- Speak to WAVE Trauma Centre or Relatives for Justice about how families across different community backgrounds are experiencing the current legal framework.
- Investigate the funding and resourcing of the ICRIR against its caseload — is it able to deliver on its stated purpose?
Related guides
Primary sources
- Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 (legislation.gov.uk)
- Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR)
- NUJ — Northern Ireland and Irish region
- BBC Editorial Guidelines
- Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)
- Coroners Service for Northern Ireland