Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023

52 Academic research

(1) The designated persons must secure that—

(a) terms of reference are set for academic research into the Troubles;

(b) academic research is carried out in accordance with those terms of reference;

(c) the terms of reference are set within the initial period;

(d) the researchers produce a report on the outcome of the academic research (the “academic report”);

(e) the academic report is published and a copy of it is given to the Secretary of State before the end of the seventh year of the period of operation of the ICRIR.

(2) The designated persons must use their best endeavours to make arrangements under which one of the UKRI’s Councils is to undertake, or participate in, activities which enable, or assist, the designated persons to comply with the duties imposed by subsection (1)(a) to (d).

(3) The researchers must carry out their work—

(a) independently of the influence of any other persons, and

(b) otherwise in such ways as will secure the confidence of the people of Northern Ireland in them and their work.

(4) The terms of reference may—

(a) provide for academic research to be carried out into events and conduct before or after the Troubles, and

(b) make provision about criteria for identifying the kinds of events and conduct before or after the Troubles into which the academic research is to be carried out.

(5) The terms of reference must require the researchers to take account of ICRIR reports in carrying out the academic research.

(6) The terms of reference—

(a) must require the academic research to include the production of an analysis of patterns and themes emerging from the relevant events and conduct into which the academic research is carried out, including (in particular) an analysis of women’s and girls’ experience of those events, and

(b) may include provision about criteria for identifying the kinds of relevant events and conduct that the researchers are to take into account for the purposes of producing that analysis.

(7) The terms of reference must require the researchers to carry out a statistical analysis of—

(a) all ICRIR reports relating to a death, and

(b) the historical record.

(8) That analysis must, in particular, set out, to the extent possible from the ICRIR reports and historical record—

(a) the number of deaths (resulting from conduct forming part of the Troubles) recorded in those reports and that record,

(b) an overview of the biographical attributes of the deceased (including by age range and community background), and

(c) an overview of the circumstances of the deaths (including when and where they occurred, and the involvement of any body or proscribed organisation).

(9) In this section—

• “ICRIR reports” means—

  (a)

  the final reports published in accordance with section 17, and

  (b)

  any final reports of which summaries are given in accordance with section 17;

• “proscribed organisation” means an organisation that has been proscribed at any time under terrorism legislation in the United Kingdom;

• “relevant events and conduct” means—

  (a)

  events and conduct forming part of the Troubles, and

  (b)

  events and conduct before or after the Troubles;

• “researchers” means the persons carrying out the academic research into the Troubles and producing the report;

• “UKRI’s Council” means any of the Councils of United Kingdom Research and Innovation provided for by or under section 92 of the Higher Education and Research Act 2017.