Sinn Féin MLA Rosie McCorley has welcomed the news that the NI Secretary of State Theresa Villiers and the Chief Constable have dropped their injunction on inquest files being handed over for three families who lost loved ones during the conflict.

The West Belfast MLA was speaking after the news from the High Court that the families of Paddy McAdorey, Sadie Larmour and Michael Donnelly could now access the files which the Culture, Arts & Leisure Minister Carál Ní Chuilín had handed over to victims group Relatives for Justice and the families solicitors.

Rosie McCorley, a member of the Justice and DCAL committees at the Assembly said: "The release of these inquest files is about the rights of citizens and the ability of the Executive to respond to those rights on a case-by-case basis. Today's decision has vindicated the minister's actions.

"This injunction should never have been brought in the first place and all that the British Secretary of State and Chief Constable have done is add more grief to the families.

"The Minister is responsible for the North's public records and both Teresa Villiers and the PSNI should not be attempting to prevent the Minister from carrying out here legal obligations.

"The release of the initial two historic inquest files in May was a step forward in the demand for truth recovery."

The Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure has also welcomed the decision.

She said: "I am pleased for the families concerned that the uncertainty regarding the release of these files has been resolved.

"As Minister I am Keeper of the Records and have specific responsibilities in law which I intend to take forward properly and appropriately.

"I want to disclose as much information as is possible to families about the circumstances of their family member's death.

"In future I will continue to consider this issue on a case by case basis and I am committed to consulting the appropriate organisations so I can take account of any views they want to offer about disclosure."

(CD/JP)