Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for his comments. It is important to note that the report states at the end:

We judge that the other paramilitary groups on ceasefire will continue to exist and that they will continue to pose a threat to national security and engage in serious crime ... [W]e believe that the level of intelligence coverage is proportionate to the threat posed by these groups. We are confident in our judgements and that these accurately reflect the best intelligence available to us.

The report was commissioned by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on paramilitary groups following the comments made by the Chief Constable of the PSNI. It was also commissioned following the recent horrific murders in Belfast and the very significant fallout for the political institutions that arose from them. Governments here, in Northern Ireland and in Britain will examine the assessment very closely. It clearly raises matters of very serious concern. There are issues with regard to the existence of illegal organisations and command structures, access to weaponry and widespread criminality. These things have no place and can have no place in our democracy. They never did. The future of the peace process depends on their being removed from life on this island once and for all. I acknowledge that we have come a long way over the last 15 to 20 years along the road of peaceful resolution of differences. Everybody can understand that. We need to complete that process. I made the Government's position very clear when I spoke in Cambridge some time ago on the matter; 21 years after the IRA's ceasefire, it should no longer carry any capacity for threat. Statements to the effect that the IRA has gone away or left the stage are simply not credible. There may have been a time when living with constructive ambiguity helped the peace process, but that time has now passed. Paramilitarism in all its vestiges must be removed. I addressed those issues in Cambridge. I repeat in the House today that after 21 years of the IRA ceasefire and ten years after decommissioning and the IRA announcement, it is past the time when it should carry any capacity for threat.

The Garda Síochána and the PSNI will continue to work closely together to combat criminality in all its forms on both sides of the Border. For the information of the House, the Minister for Justice and Equality will publish today the Garda Síochána assessment of paramilitary activities in so far as this jurisdiction is concerned in order that there is a full picture of the respective assessments of the law enforcement agencies on the island. For his part, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade will continue to engage with all parties in Northern Ireland to address these issues. I note, with regard to what Deputy Martin said, that the issue of dealing with criminality, including criminality as a result of the legacy of paramilitarism, is one that the State takes very seriously. I note that 134 filling stations have been closed in respect of fuel laundering. Tobacco smuggling and other issues are a serious priority for the Garda and law and order activities here.

For the information of the House, the DUP has confirmed that its Ministers will be reappointed next Tuesday and that they intend to go back to the talks. The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade has made it clear that the place to deal with these issues now is these talks, if we are serious about having the institutions work. For normal politics to apply, one cannot have situations such as those I mentioned. The place to deal with these is around the table where all parties are involved. I hope the talks can be very clear, straightforward and frank, and that they will deal with the issues I addressed in Cambridge and that are referred to in the report from the PSNI to the three-person body and in the report to be published later this evening by the Garda Commissioner and the Minister for Justice and Equality.

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