Northern Ireland’s political crisis does not excuse delays to legacy inquests, a lawyer representing the family of a man shot in 1972 has said.

Solicitor Padraig Ó Muirigh represents Patricia McVeigh, whose father Pat was shot dead in west Belfast in May 1972.

Ms McVeigh told The Irish News: “It becomes more and more clear every day that there will be no restoration of Stormont in the near future.

“The government cannot keep hiding behind the political crisis. They have committed this money and without it families such as mine are being left in an indefinite period of uncertainty.

“It’s cruel, and heaping more trauma upon people who have already waited and suffered enough.”

Mr Ó Muirigh added: “The families I represent are deeply frustrated at the fact that political considerations appear to be holding up their legal right to a timely and effective investigation into their loved one’s death.

“They feel they are being used as a political football by certain political parties and the British Secretary of State.

“Regardless of the political situation we currently find ourselves, in this jurisdiction the British government have an obligation to find a method of discharging their obligations, as signatories of the European Convention on Human Rights, in respect of legacy cases. This has been recognised by both the Lord Chief Justice and Committee of Ministers at the Council of Europe.

“It is imperative that all necessary steps are taken by the British government, including the release of adequate funding, to progress legacy inquests without further delay.”