Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023

2 The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery

(1) The Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery is established.

(2) The ICRIR is a body corporate.

(3) The ICRIR consists of—

(a) the Chief Commissioner,

(b) the Commissioner for Investigations, and

(c) between one and five other Commissioners.

(4) The principal objective of the ICRIR in exercising its functions is to promote reconciliation.

(5) The functions of the ICRIR are—

(a) to carry out reviews of deaths that were caused by conduct forming part of the Troubles (see sections 9 and 11 to 13);

(b) to carry out reviews of other harmful conduct forming part of the Troubles (see sections 10 to 13);

(c) to produce reports (“final reports”) on the findings of each of the reviews of deaths and other harmful conduct (see sections 15 to 18);

(d) to determine whether to grant persons immunity from prosecution for serious or connected Troubles-related offences other than Troubles-related sexual offences (see sections 19 to 21);

(e) to refer deaths that were caused by conduct forming part of the Troubles, and other harmful conduct forming part of the Troubles, to prosecutors (see section 25);

(f) to produce a record (the “historical record”) of deaths that were caused by conduct forming part of the Troubles (see sections 28 and 29).

(6) In exercising its functions, the ICRIR must have regard to the general interests of persons affected by Troubles-related deaths and serious injuries.

(7) At least three months before the start of each financial year, the ICRIR must—

(a) produce and publish a work plan for that year, and

(b) give a copy of the plan to the Secretary of State.

But this duty does not apply in relation to any financial year which starts before 1 April 2025.

(8) A work plan must deal with the following matters—

(a) the caseload which the ICRIR is expecting;

(b) the plans which the ICRIR has for dealing with its caseload;

(c) the plans which the ICRIR has for engaging with persons entitled to request reviews of deaths and other harmful conduct;

(d) policies which the ICRIR is planning to introduce, review or change;

(e) such other matters as the ICRIR considers appropriate.

(9) No later than six months after the end of each financial year, the ICRIR must—

(a) produce and publish an annual report in relation to that year, and

(b) give a copy of the annual report to the Secretary of State.

(10) An annual report must deal with the following matters—

(a) the finances of the ICRIR;

(b) the administration of the ICRIR;

(c) the volume of information received by the ICRIR;

(d) the number of requests for reviews that have been made;

(e) the number of final reports on the findings of reviews that have been provided to persons requesting them;

(f) the number of applications for immunity from prosecution that have been made;

(g) the number of applications for immunity from prosecution that have been decided by the immunity requests panel;

(h) the number of persons who have been granted, and the number of persons who have been refused, immunity from prosecution;

(i) progress made in producing the historical record;

(j) such other matters as the ICRIR considers appropriate.

(11) The Secretary of State may make payments or provide other resources to, or in respect of, the ICRIR in connection with the exercise of the ICRIR’s functions.

(12) Schedule 1 contains provision about the ICRIR, the Commissioners and the ICRIR officers.

(13) In this section “persons affected by Troubles-related deaths and serious injuries” means—

(a) family members of persons whose deaths were caused directly by conduct forming part of the Troubles (and the reference to those deaths has the meaning given in section 9(9)),

(b) persons who suffered serious physical or mental harm that was caused by conduct forming part of the Troubles, and

(c) family members of persons who suffered such harm and have subsequently died.

(14) In this Act “financial year”, in relation to the ICRIR, means—

(a) the period which—

(i) begins with the day on which this section comes into force, and

(ii) ends with the following 31 March; and

(b) each subsequent period of one year which ends with 31 March.