A new body tasked with investigating outstanding cases from the Northern Ireland Troubles has registered 85 enquiries since becoming operational earlier this year.
The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information (ICRIR) was created by the previous government’s controversial Legacy Act which halted scores of civil litigation and inquests into Troubles deaths.
Bereaved families, victims and certain public authorities can instead request the ICRIR carry out an investigation.
However, opposition to the new commission led to protests and claims that access to justice had been shut down.
The ICRIR announced on Monday that since becoming operational in May, it has registered 85 enquiries from victims, survivors and families about the possibility of an investigation into their injury or the death of a loved one.
In an update to its work, the ICRIR also confirmed that of those enquiries, eight have been accepted for investigation and are in the Information Recovery stage.
The body is led by retired judge Sir Declan Morgan, a former lord chief justice for Northern Ireland.
The Chief Commissioner said the update “reflects the commission’s values about being open and accountable, and above all the focus on delivering for those who have come to the commission seeking answers”.
Sir Declan said that all at the commission were committed to following the approach that the Design Framework sets out so the body meets what it has promised.
“We are now at a stage where people have come forward and put their trust in the commission to take their requests forward. We will now do so in line with our values and core principles,” he said.
“We are moving into the next phase of our work as the serious and important task of investigation begins.
“In doing this we must meet the commitments that we have made to each person who comes to us, through our open and published policies, and through our trauma and resiliency informed model.”
Commissioner for investigations Peter Sheridan added: “Many of the individuals and families that the commission will meet will have experienced harm and suffering and may have waited many years to find out more about what they and their loved ones went through.
“We recognise the seriousness of the work that we are undertaking and understand that how we do things is as important as what we do.”
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