'Something fundamentally wrong' with legacy body

There is "something fundamentally very wrong" with the body which investigates Troubles-related deaths, a former police ombudsman for Northern Ireland has said.

Baroness Nuala O'Loan was speaking after a "damning" review into the operation of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).

It began operating in May 2024, but the review found it already faces significant problems with financial management, leadership conflict and staff morale.

"What was going on when you've had three finance directors in 12 months?" Baroness O'Loan said, adding that it looked like the organisation did not know what it was doing.

Following the publication of the review findings, the ICRIR's Chief Commissioner Sir Declan Morgan said the body regretted the shortcomings and it was committed to addressing the issues.

The ICRIR's main purpose is to investigate deaths and serious injuries during Northern Ireland's decades-long conflict known as the Troubles, in which more 3,600 people were killed and thousands more injured.

It was created by the previous Conservative government, despite strong objections from many victims' groups and all of Northern Ireland's political parties.

One of its main aims was to provide new information to bereaved families who are still seeking answers over their loved one's deaths.

Speaking to the the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme, Baroness O'Loan questioned the perceived lack of progress made by its staff to date.

"Investigation has to lead to reports and two years on, £60m spent, not one report," she said.

"I think it must be profoundly difficult for those victims and survivors who have gone to the commission looking for help."

The former ombudsman said she did not believe that staff relationships within the ICRIR were the main problem.

Instead, she claimed the organisation was deliberately "set up to fail" by the last government, which had limited its ability to carry out full investigations.

"When we were debating the [Troubles Legacy and Reconciliation] Act through parliament they removed the primary investigative powers at a late stage."

Baroness O'Loan said she understood fewer than 50% of the ICRIR's staff were investigators and even they "haven't got the powers they need - this was always the problem".

"They can't carry out surveillance, they can't access financial information, they can't access phone data to find out who is talking to whom.

"They can't get information from the government of Ireland because there are no processes to enable that," she argued.

When the Labour government came to power in 2024, it promised to repeal much of the Troubles Legacy Act, but it has supported the continuation of the ICRIR.

Baroness O'Loan, who served for seven years as Northern Ireland's first police ombudsman, has added her voice to calls for the organisation to be scrapped.

"I think that the only answer is that the Labour government really should do what they said they would do and start again."

Wave Trauma is a charity that supports people bereaved, injured, or traumatised as a result of the Troubles. Its chief executive, Sandra Peake, said she was "disappointed but not surprised" by the review.

"There needs to be change, and it needs to happen rapidly," she told Good Morning Ulster.

Peake appealed to the ICRIR to "get back to basics" in order to "see a process that delivers fully for families".

She also called on the Northern Ireland secretary to "act as soon as possible" to "fundamentally reform and change" structures within the ICRIR.

The independent review was commissioned by the government following concerns about the ICRIR's corporate effectiveness and culture.

It found that the ICRIR's senior leadership team had become divided and this had had an impact on staff.

It identified concerns over "silo working" and said concerns had been raised about "toxic" and "disrespectful" interactions.

It raised questions over the ICRIR's financial management, as £60m has been spent so far with no completed investigation reports.

The review also revealed that some cases under investigation had to be "paused" because of a lack of resources.

Publishing the findings on Monday, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Bennn said what was identified in the review was "unacceptable and falls below the standards expected".

"It is for ICRIR board to take whatever steps are necessary and appropriate to address this," Benn added.

The ICRIR's chief commissioner said in a statement that its investigations teams were "working tirelessly for families that have come to us for help".

"We will soon reach the milestone of producing our first report and once we have reached that point I expect a steady flow of reports over the months and years to come," Sir Declan added.