Irrespective of how it is dressed up, what conditions are attached or how often the British government says it – an amnesty for those responsible for murder and other serious crimes during the ‘Troubles’ will never be acceptable.

Any attempts to bypass and forgo full judicial scrutiny of legacy murders and other serious crimes of the Troubles are designed to cover up and excuse the excesses of state and terrorist actions.

Such proposals totally disregard the needs of victims, survivors and their families.

Whatever process is finally adopted it cannot and must not provide an escape route for murder irrespective of those responsible.