The Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023, which ends criminal investigations and civil cases linked to the Troubles, is already being challenged in the Northern Ireland courts.

The Oireachtas Good Friday Agreement committee yesterday resolved to write to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to request that the Irish government initiate an inter-state case against the UK over the law.

Human rights lawyer Pádraig Ó Muirigh told the committee that there are “very clear grounds for the Irish government to take this case” and said he disagreed that the Irish government “should await any Supreme Court decision… or wait on the outcome of the current litigation”.

John Finucane, the Sinn Féin MP for North Belfast, said: “Many months have now passed since an Taoiseach first said he was considering taking an inter-state case. Families need clarity about this, not further delays to add to their already prolonged distress.

“These families recently initiated individual legal action. This could have been prevented if the Irish government had taken an interstate case against the Legacy Act. They can still do this and I would strongly encourage them to do so.

“The deadline for legal action is January 18th 2024, but due to the Christmas holidays the deadline is much closer. The time to act is now. There should be no further delay.”