NI legacy consultation on Troubles extended until October

The legacy document outlines plans for dealing with Troubles-related deaths

The public consultation on the legacy of the Troubles has been extended by a month.

The consultation was due to last four months and end on 10 September.

Speaking in the House of Commons the Secretary of State Karen Bradley announced that the deadline would be extended by three weeks.

Mrs Bradley said the move follows from a request by stakeholders who say they need more time to respond.

The government's consultation paper, 'Addressing the Legacy of Northern Ireland's Past', was launched in May.

It outlines plans for:

• An Historical Investigations Unit (HIU) which would have a caseload of about 1,700 Troubles related deaths and aim to complete its work in five years

• An Independent Commission on Information Retrieval, which would only look for information if asked to do so by families

• An oral history archive which would collect recorded memories and stories about the Troubles in one place

• An implementation and reconciliation group with 11 members representing the UK and Irish governments, along with Northern Ireland's five biggest political parties

The consultation has now been extended to 5 October.