Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)

The Irish and British Governments yesterday jointly published the seventh report of the Independent Monitoring Commission on the continuing activities of paramilitary groups, pursuant to Articles 4 and 7 of the international agreement establishing the IMC.

The report focuses primarily on the six month period from 1 March to 31 August. Consequently, it deals with a period encompassing the five months preceding the major statement by the Provisional IRA on 28 July and just one month following this potentially significant development. It was not until 26 September last that the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning, the De Chastelain commission, reported on the decommissioning of Provisional IRA weapons, which constituted a major step in giving effect to the Provisionals' statement in July.

On account of these time frames, the IMC states that the assessment it can make of the effect of the Provisional IRA statement is rather limited. However, it goes on to affirm that the matter will be addressed further in its subsequent reports to the two Governments, the next to be submitted in January 2006. The Governments will be in a much better position, at that stage, to come to firm conclusions as to the criminal activities of the IRA. The onus is, of course, on the Provisional movement to cease completely from engagement in all forms of criminal activity of the kind for which it has been notorious — including violence, intimidation, robbery, fraud, kidnapping and smuggling. The House will be aware, for example, the Garda Síochána has publicly confirmed the link between the Provisional IRA money laundering operation uncovered earlier this year and the proceeds of the Northern Bank robbery.

In its seventh report the IMC reports that initial signals from the Provisionals are encouraging. There is no evidence of training or recruitment by them after 28 July, for example. However, the IMC also states that there are indications that the organisation's intelligence function remains active, although its focus may be becoming more political. Moreover, the IMC states that it has no evidence that the Provisional IRA is generally allowing those it has exiled to return to Northern Ireland safely, should they wish to do so.

The IMC's seventh report states that the so-called dissident republican groups have continued to remain active, particularly the Real IRA and, intermittently, the Continuity IRA. The Real IRA continues to be characterised as a ruthless organisation committed to terrorism and crime. It continues to target on and off duty police officers, plant incendiary devices, remain involved in organised crime and engage in acts of intimidation and violence. In the latter regard, I am sure that the House will join with me in condemning the recent, brutal, savage and cowardly attack on the Deputy Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. I am pleased to say that Mr. Bradley is well on the road to recovery. When I saw the scar on his head in a newspaper photograph I realised a lethal attack with ferocious intent was unleashed on him. He is an extremely lucky man to survive it. I am sure he has the good wishes of all of us in this House for a full recovery.

The Continuity IRA continues to recruit and train members, and it also continues its efforts to improve its capacity to use explosives and weapons and to procure weapons. In the period under report, it was responsible for hoaxes and bombs and has continued to target on and off duty police officers.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House.

The IMC reports that although the Continuity IRA is an organisation that intends to remain active, it is not coherently organised and there is some internal feuding. Nevertheless, it is believed to be dangerous and to be capable of mounting attacks, albeit perhaps not a sustained campaign.

The INLA, according to the IMC, remains extensively involved in organised crime. It continues to recruit and train new members, and it remains involved in shootings and assaults. Overall, the IMC concludes that there has been some increase in the INLA's use of violence, but that the level of activity is not high.

I have already put on the public record my views on the likely number of persons involved in certain paramilitary groups and I do not think it would be helpful to go beyond that. In this jurisdiction, the Garda Síochána remains actively engaged in countering the threat from these groups. In particular, strategic goal one of the Garda policing plan 2005 outlines the aim of reducing the terrorist threat of subversive and terrorist activity through intelligence-led policing and international co-operation. Significant Garda resources are devoted to realising this goal, involving the strategic deployment of both local and specialised operational Garda units to counter and frustrate the activities of the paramilitary groups.

For obvious reasons, it would not be appropriate for me to detail the kinds of operational measures in place. However, as a testament to their effectiveness, in this jurisdiction in the period under review by the IMC, five Real IRA members were convicted of membership on an unlawful organisation and two believed Continuity IRA members were convicted of unlawful possession of firearms.

I want to make it very clear that there will be no tolerance for any criminal activity by serving or former members of paramilitary organisations and that, irrespective of any other developments, the full resources of the State will continue to be expended in ensuring that the proceeds of their crimes are not enjoyed by them or their friends.

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