The position as of spring 2026 is a bit of a moving target, but can be summarised in three overlapping strands: (1) the existing 2023 Act (partly in force but legally damaged), (2) court challenges undermining it, and (3) new legislation currently working its way through Parliament but delayed.

1) The current law: the 2023 “Legacy Act”

The operative statute is the
Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.

• It ended most criminal investigations, inquests and civil claims relating to Troubles incidents and replaced them with a single body (ICRIR).
• It also proposed a conditional immunity (amnesty-type) scheme for those who cooperated.

However, in practice:

• The immunity scheme was never commenced and is now politically abandoned.
• Key elements have been found unlawful or incompatible with human rights by domestic courts.

So although the Act technically exists, it is partially disapplied, heavily contested, and widely regarded as unsustainable.

2) Litigation status (still ongoing)

The Act has been subjected to extensive judicial review:

• High Court and Court of Appeal rulings found major provisions—especially immunity and limits on investigations—incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights and the Windsor Framework.
• Some issues have reached or are moving through the UK Supreme Court.
• There is also an inter-state case by Ireland before the European Court of Human Rights.

Bottom line: the legal foundation of the 2023 regime is unstable and still being contested.

3) Government response: repeal and replace

Since 2024, the UK Government has committed to repealing and replacing the Act.

(a) Immediate fix: remedial order (2026)

In January 2026 the Government moved to:

• Remove the immunity provisions and
• Restore access to civil claims and legal remedies

via a remedial order addressing human-rights breaches.

This is essentially a stopgap correction rather than a full new system.

(b) Main replacement legislation

The core replacement is the
Northern Ireland Troubles Bill 2024–26

• Introduced October 2025
• Designed to repeal and replace large parts of the 2023 Act
• Intended to:
  • Remove immunity entirely
  • Re-open pathways to investigations and civil cases
  • Create a new legacy framework / commission

(c) Current parliamentary status (April 2026)

• The Bill is still before Parliament and has not yet become law.
• Progress has slowed and been delayed:
  • Government is preparing substantial amendments, especially around protections for veterans
  • Next stage likely pushed to later in 2026 (next session)

4) Policy direction (important context)

Across government statements and UK–Ireland discussions, the direction of travel is:

• Away from blanket or conditional amnesty
• Back towards investigations, inquests, and civil accountability
• Coupled with:
  • New safeguards for veterans
  • A revised information-recovery process
    

Bottom line

As of now:

• The 2023 Legacy Act still exists but is legally weakened and politically disowned.
• Parts of it are already being removed via secondary legislation.
• A replacement Bill is progressing but delayed, so the system is in a transitional and uncertain state.
• Meanwhile, court proceedings (domestic and international) continue to shape what is legally permissible.

If useful, I can break down what the new Bill is likely to mean in practice—especially for veterans versus legacy investigations—since that’s where most of the real-world implications now lie.