THE report by former civil service permanent secretary Peter May into the workings of the satirically named Independent Commission for Reconciliation (sic) and Information Recovery, published on Monday, reveals a mess: incoherence, disastrous HR relations, back-biting, financial chaos and above all, as the report says, absence of ‘product’ after two years and blowing £60 million.

It’s a complete shambles, a scandal. The Chief Commissioner Sir Declan Morgan, who presided over all this, said: “We acknowledge and regret the shortcomings identified in the May report. As Chief Commissioner I am deeply sorry this has happened on my watch.” He should resign.

Shortcomings? It’s a catalogue of complete failure. Morgan and his chief investigator Peter Sheridan should both go forthwith.

Neither of them should have got involved in the first place. It was an error of judgement.

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The ICRIR is a cynical con job, a front to fool people into thinking the Conservatives’ misnamed Legacy and Reconciliation Act was anything to do with reconciliation or finding the truth about killings during the Troubles.

As Peter Sheridan told a gathering in Harvard in 2023, the Act was designed to protect former British soldiers.........

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