Jacqui Durkin has welcomed recommendations from Parliament's Joint Committee on Human Rights urging changes to the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill, including secure funding and a streamlined approach to legacy investigations.

In a report published this week, the Joint Committee on Human Rights highlighted the need for adequate and secure funding for organisations that would be responsible for delivering the Bill's functions once enacted — a concern previously raised by the Police Ombudsman's Office in its consultation response on the proposals.

Ms Durkin said: "This report has clearly identified that there is currently no agreement on how organisations like my Office or the PSNI, will be funded to implement this legislation. "For my Office, the disclosure obligations alone to new legacy bodies and the Coroner will bring significant budgetary pressures, while any new remit for investigating legacy matters relating to alleged police misconduct which is currently proposed by the Bill would undoubtedly require additional resources to form and fund specialist investigative teams.

"I believe that one single body should undertake investigations of all conduct in Troubles-related cases and the Joint Committee concurs in this report, making clear that this would be 'a more principled approach to addressing the legacy of the past', reduce financial pressures and, critically, allow my Office to concentrate resource and effort on investigating the increasingly complex complaints about contemporary policing which will impact positively on public and police confidence in my investigations."

The Ombudsman has previously submitted views on the Troubles Bill to Parliament, and reiterated that clarity on roles and sustainable resourcing will be essential if the legislation is to function effectively and retain public confidence.