WOODWARD ASKS FOR REPORT ON IRA ARMY COUNCIL
IAIS
08/06/08 08:31 EST
The body appointed by the British government that monitors paramilitary groups inNorthen Ireland has been asked to produce a special report assessing whether the IRA army council still exists.
The British and Irish governments asked the ‘Independent’ Monitoring Commission for its views by 1 September.
The DUP has said the IRA army council must cease to exist if policing and justice powers are to be devolved to the Assembly.
Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward said he had asked for the report to help clarify the “completion of the transformation of PIRA”.
“Enormous progress has been made by people across Northern Ireland to deal with outstanding issues from the Troubles. However there are still vestiges of this time for which we need greater clarification,” he said.
In the past, the IMC has said that the existence of the Army Council was necessary as part of a change of management process as the IRA moved from violence to politics.
In its last report in May, the commission said “that relinquishing leadership structures appropriate to a time of conflict would be the signal that a paramilitary group had emerged at the other end of the process of transformation”.
The IMC said this transformation was “all but complete” in the case of the IRA.
The governments have now asked for a special report to clarify the commission’s views on the current structures of the IRA.
There has been no movement yet on the disbandment of any of the loyalist paramilitary groups or their structures.
