A new survey of 2,000 people in the Republic of Ireland has found that one in eight believe they fit the legal definition of a victim or survivor of the Troubles. The research, conducted for the Commission for Victims and Survivors, indicates that those living close to the Border are more likely to self-identify, with 51 per cent of respondents living within five miles of the Border doing so. Six per cent of that group said they had directly witnessed an incident.

The findings will be presented on Tuesday when Northern Ireland's Victim Commissioner, Joe McVey, appears before the Oireachtas Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement. The survey highlights persistent mental health effects, with more than a third of those affected saying their mental health continues to suffer. Many are not receiving support. Unmet demand is highest among the young, those living close to the Border, and the poorest.

Currently, 27 per cent of those living in the Republic who identify as victims or survivors are getting services or support from at least one source. Seven per cent receive services from Northern Ireland's Victims and Survivors Service. Large majorities want better services: 64 per cent seek a dedicated victims and survivors' organisation in the Republic, while 63 per cent want Northern Ireland-funded services to extend to the South.

Fifty-five per cent want enhanced awareness from the HSE, especially psychological therapy, including family therapy. Fifty-nine per cent want a medical card for Troubles-affected patients. Fifty-three per cent want legal support to uncover information about a loved one's killing. There is also strong support for teaching the history of the Troubles in schools; only 3 per cent said it should not be taught at all.

McVey said legislation alone is not enough and that services must respond to people's needs. He welcomed Dublin's acknowledgment that help is needed for those affected by Troubles incidents in the Republic. He emphasised that practical measures must respond to their needs and offer justice. He added that victims' and survivors' experiences, losses, and needs differ, and that decisions taken now will have consequences for generations. Independence, impartiality, and meaningful involvement of victims and survivors are central, he said.

One border victim was William Clarke, a cattle dealer and member of the Ulster Defence Regiment from Castlederg, Co Tyrone. He was shot dead by the IRA near Pettigo, Co Donegal, in August 1980. His son Derek Clarke recalls that his father had been warned not to cross the Border but was stubborn and maintained friendships on the other side. No one has ever been convicted of his murder.

Derek Clarke said his mother rarely talked about the killing in her later years, and there was no real help in those days. He himself had close calls during the Troubles: a bomb exploded in a shop as he drove by in 1973, throwing his car into the air, and he was later shot at in his milk truck. He said he would let the past go away and move on, though he finds it hard to talk about his father's death.