Micheal Martin’s meeting with Sproule family is welcome, but not enough

The Taoiseach Micheal Martin has met the brother of Ian Sproule, who was murdered by Irish terrorists in 1991 in Castlederg.

Mr Sproule was one of dozens of victims in the Co Tyrone town, which suffered badly at the hands of such killers, who often fled to the Republic of Ireland. Like Fermanagh, the suffering was overwhelmingly at the hands of republican thugs. There was barely any retaliation from such isolated unionist communities. This suffering is one of the great untold stories of the Troubles.

It is quite bad enough that the story of the violent years has become so distorted, with by far the biggest killers — Irish republican terrorists — having been allowed to play the role of victim, while the heroic state forces who stopped them are pursued by the full apparatus of the UK state.

But the death toll among border Protestants at the hands of sectarian IRA murderers is particularly lacking in scrutiny.

Mr Martin is a busy man, as all prime ministers are. He loathes the Provisionals, and is a man who deserves the respect of unionists. It is very welcome that he met John Sproule about his brother’s killing, amid accusations of Garda collusion in it. It was also welcome when a predecessor of Mr Martin, Enda Kenny, met Kingsmills victims.

But there is a risk. Unionist politicians have repeatedly demanded Irish help to get truth in these two terror attacks. There is almost an implication that if it help is forthcoming, it will bring balance to legacy. But it is not even close to enough. Ireland has scolded the UK for years on legacy and weak ministers say nothing back.

Yet Ireland refused to extradite terrorists over 25+ years, thus enabling serial killers to use the Republic as a base, and leading to many border deaths. Since ceasefires, Ireland has operated a de facto amnesty for IRA.

An NIO minister recently said the government would be happy to meet Irish ministers over how to handle legacy. This is alarming, given the urgent need to rebalance legacy and put the spotlight on the useless Irish response to Irish terror.