Minister O'Callaghan and the Tánaiste welcome publication of the Seventh Report of the Independent Reporting Commission
- Foilsithe: 25 Feabhra 2025
- An t-eolas is déanaí: 26 Feabhra 2025
The Minister for Justice Jim O'Callaghan and the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris, welcomed the publication today of the Seventh Report of the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC).
The IRC is the body established under the Fresh Start Agreement 2015 to report on measures aimed at ending paramilitarism. The Seventh Report sets out the Commission’s assessment of progress to date on the implementation of the provisions of the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement that are designed to tackle paramilitary activity and associated criminality, with the aim of bringing an end to paramilitarism in Northern Ireland.
While the IRC report progress is being made to tackle paramilitary activity, including through the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime and the collective law enforcement effort, the IRC view is that paramilitarism continues to represent a threat to individuals and society, and must continue to be given sufficient attention and focus. Violent attacks, intimidation, coercive control, and threats linked to paramilitary groups continue to persist and remain a real concern.
The IRC remains committed to the twin track approach to tackling paramilitarism. That is a policing and justice response, side by side with a comprehensive addressing of the systemic, socio-economic issues facing communities where the paramilitaries operate. The IRC continue to see the need for a third dimension to tackle paramilitarism, namely the undertaking of a process of engagement with the paramilitary groups themselves, aimed at group transition and the end goal of disbandment.
Speaking on the Report’s publication, the Minister for Justice, Jim O’Callaghan said:
“I would like to thank the Commissioners for their report. This Seventh Report again shows that progress is being made at tackling this engrained issue, but that paramilitary groups continue to exist and exert pressure on communities in Northern Ireland.
"2024 marked the 30th anniversary of the paramilitary ceasefires, and it is simply unacceptable that paramilitary groups continue to exert their malign influence on communities. While the IRC notes that the situation concerning paramilitarism in Northern Ireland today is significantly better than it was during the height of the Troubles, the fact that paramilitarism continues to exist in society, and the coercive control paramilitaries exert on certain communities, is simply not acceptable.
"While it has to be welcomed that the Threat Level in Northern Ireland for Northern Ireland-related Terrorism was reduced from “severe” to “substantial” last year, these groups continue to pose a lethal threat and carry out appalling crimes within their own communities.
"I welcome that the IRC reports that Phase Two of the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime is achieving tangible benefits on the ground, particularly in terms of the positive effect the programme has had on young people participating in various initiatives. It is also positive to read that the collective law enforcement efforts are having an impact on the groups.
"The IRC commend the good collaborative work ongoing between the Authorities North and South at various levels including via the Joint Agency Task Force.
"The UK Government and the Government of Ireland have been giving consideration to how progress could be made towards ending paramilitarism, and to the recommendations from the IRC and others, including the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on this issue. In April 2024, the then-UK government and the Government of Ireland committed to taking forward further work.
"The two governments have agreed to jointly appoint, in the period ahead, within the existing IRC legislative framework, an Independent Expert to carry out a short scoping and engagement exercise to assess whether there is merit in, and support for, a formal process of engagement to bring about paramilitary group transition to disbandment. This will include examining what could be in scope of such a formal process.
"We will continue working with the authorities in Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Independent Reporting Commission on tackling this complex problem.”
The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Simon Harris said:
“I welcome the publication of this important report by the Independent Reporting Commission and thank the commissioners for it. While the IRC identify some positive developments, overall the picture remains mixed. This report makes clear the unacceptable reality that paramilitary-linked intimidation, coercive control and threats continue to exist and impact communities in Northern Ireland.
"We need to be sure we are doing absolutely everything possible to bring that to an end.
"With that in mind, the UK Government and the Government of Ireland have discussed the analysis and recommendations of the IRC, including through meetings of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference.
"We are pleased to announce that we have agreed to jointly appoint an Independent Expert in the period ahead to carry out a short scoping and engagement exercise to assess whether there is merit in, and support for, a formal process of engagement to bring about paramilitary group transition to disbandment.
"It is my hope that this initiative will advance us towards our shared objective of ending paramilitarism once and for all.”
Minister O’Callaghan and the Tánaiste expressed thanks to the Commissioners and officials for this Report and their work to date.
Notes
The Fresh Start Agreement was concluded on 17 November 2015. It included measures aimed at ending paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Ireland Executive, on the basis of recommendations from an expert panel, published the Executive Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime on 19 July 2016. It contains 43 commitments in response to the Panel’s recommendations. The Executive agreed a second phase of the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme which began in 2021 and will run until March 2027. [Now titled “Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime”. ]
To facilitate monitoring of the implementation of measures to address paramilitarism, the Fresh Start Agreement provides for the establishment by the two governments of the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC). Legislation was enacted in Ireland and the UK to establish the IRC.
The IRC’s functions are to:
- report annually on progress towards ending continuing paramilitary activity connected with Northern Ireland (or on such further occasions as required)
- report on the implementation of the relevant measures of the three administrations – critical here is the Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime; and
- consult the UK Government and relevant law enforcement agencies, the Irish Government and relevant law enforcement agencies and, in Northern Ireland, the Executive, PSNI, statutory agencies, local councils, communities and civic society organisations
The IRC is a four-member body. Mr. Tim O’ Connor, former Secretary General to the President was nominated by the Irish Government. The UK Government nominated Mr. Mitchell Reiss, former US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland. Prof. Monica McWilliams and Mr. John McBurney were nominated by the Northern Ireland Executive.
In their 5th Report (December 2022) the IRC recommended the appointment of an Independent Person to assess whether there would be merit in, and support for, a formal process that ensures the transition to disbandment of paramilitary groups.
Building on that recommendation, and the recommendation of others, including in evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, to how further progress could be made towards ending paramilitarism, the two governments have agreed to jointly appoint in the period ahead an Independent Expert to carry out scoping and engagement to assess whether there is merit in and support for a formal process of engagement to bring about paramilitary group transition to disbandment.