Ireland’s deputy premier Simon Harris is to meet Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn in Dublin on Wednesday evening. The meeting, their first to be held in person, will feature discussions on political stability in Northern Ireland, the Omagh Inquiry and the UK Government’s controversial Legacy Act.
Mr Harris is understood to looking to find common ground on legacy issues, underpinned by the support of those most affected and in compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights. They will also discuss the announcement that the two governments will appoint an independent expert to carry out a short scoping and engagement exercise to assess whether there is merit in, and support for, a formal process of engagement to bring about paramilitary group transition to disbandment.
Their meeting comes in advance of the Ireland-UK summit in Liverpool next Thursday. Mr Harris spoke to Mr Benn by phone in January on his first full day as Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. During that call he extended an invite to Mr Benn to Dublin and said he looked forward to hosting him in the Irish capital “at the earliest opportunity”.
