Micheal Martin The Irish government is to bring a legal case against the UK under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The inter-state case is over the UK ‘s decision to bring in the Northern Ireland Troubles Legacy Act, deputy prime minister Micheal Martin has confirmed. The act became UK law in September 2023. It looks to end legal proceedings relating to the Troubles by granting immunity to people who cooperate with the new Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR). Politics latest: Early Christmas present for Rishi Sunak On the UK side, the move was welcomed by soldiers and their families, following various historical prosecutions. But there were warnings it would breach human rights law, as granting amnesties has previously been found by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to be incompatible with a country’s obligation to have a way for unnatural deaths and allegations of torture to be investigated. Complying with the ECHR is part of the Good Friday Agreement. More on Northern Ireland UK government makes £3.3bn ‘final offer’ to Northern Ireland in bid to restore power-sharing Little donkey rescued from muddy drain – then fed ginger nuts by firefighters Former soldier to stand trial accused of murder over deaths of two men on Bloody Sunday Victims refuse to choose between truth and justice in Northern Ireland David Blevins Senior Ireland correspondent @skydavidblevins It was 1971 when the Irish government last took a case against the UK government to the European Court of Human Rights. Five decades on, the highly controversial Legacy Bill was opposed by every victim’s group and political party in Northern Ireland. By granting a conditional amnesty to those accused of historical offences, it contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights. The convention, which obligates countries to pursue justice for […]