A Garda unit dedicated to Northern Ireland legacy issues is expected to be operational by the end of the year, the Cabinet will be told today.
Tánaiste Simon Harris is set to update colleagues on the new joint framework agreed by the Irish and UK governments aimed at addressing the legacy of the Troubles in the North.
The framework, agreed earlier this month, replaces the British government’s controversial Legacy Act.
It is understood that Mr Harris will update Cabinet on the agreement, including a Government commitment to provide €25 million to support victims and families over the next three years.
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He will also tell Ministers that a dedicated unit is to be set up within the Garda as a single point of contact for cross-Border co-operation on Troubles-related cases and that it is expected to be operational by the end of the year.
Mr Harris is to tell colleagues the changes envisaged under a new Legacy Commission are significant and welcome, and represent a step-change.
He is expected to say it will be important to see the changes translated faithfully into legislation by the UK government.
The Irish Government may also be required to introduce legislation to deliver on some of its commitments made under the deal.
Mr Harris, also the Minister for Foreign Affairs, will also brief Ministers on plans to publish a new Ireland-Scotland Bilateral Co-operation Framework for the years leading up to 2030.
This follows on from co-operation with Scotland in recent years on areas including offshore energy and academic links, as well as the establishment of a new Enterprise Ireland office in Glasgow.
Separately, Minister for Transport Darragh O’Brien is to seek Cabinet agreement to develop draft legislation that would allow him to remove or amend the passenger cap of 32 million passengers per year at Dublin Airport.
Planners imposed the cap in 2007 as a condition of allowing airport operator DAA to build a second terminal at Dublin, in order to address fears of traffic congestion. It has, however, effectively been suspended since the High Court referred questions raised in a legal challenge by airlines to the European courts.
The cap has long been opposed by the DAA as well as airlines including Ryanair, Europe’s biggest carrier, and Aer Lingus.
[ Why new Troubles legacy deal is seen as a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunityOpens in new window ]
The Programme for Government commits the Coalition to working with stakeholders “to achieve our objective of lifting the passenger cap as soon as possible”.
It is understood the memo to be brought to Cabinet by Mr O’Brien seeks agreement for him to pursue a legislative solution to address the passenger cap.
This includes a proposal to develop a general scheme – or outline – of a Bill to give the Minister for Transport the power to remove or amend the limit on annual passenger numbers at Dublin Airport.
Meanwhile, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe is to bring a memo on the annual pre-budget White Paper, which will set out forecasts of the State’s revenue and expenditure before account is taken of budget day announcements.
Budget 2026 will be announced in the Dáil next Tuesday, and the White Paper is expected to be published on Friday.
