Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 163: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs further to his interview in a newspaper (details supplied) 9 May 2006 if he will clarify his views on IRA criminality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19723/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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My position on the IRA is widely-known and consistent. The IRA campaign caused needless death, helped to perpetuate partition and severely damaged the economies of northern and border counties of our island. It was conducted against the will of the Irish people.

In the interview to which the Deputy refers, I made clear that the available security advice indicated that the IRA was no longer a security threat to the State and that it was committed to the political path. This concurs with the latest report of the Independent Monitoring Commission in which it reiterated "its absolutely clear view" that the IRA leadership had committed itself to following a peaceful path. It confirmed that "the IRA leadership continues to work to ensure full compliance" with its statement of 25 July 2005. The report also indicated that there had been a complete absence of terrorist or violent activity on the part of the IRA in the period under review. Although there were indications that some IRA members might still be involved in crime, the IMC drew a clear distinction between individuals and the organisation itself. The IMC reported its view that the IRA leadership "continues to seek to stop criminal activity by their members and to prevent them from engaging in it". Criminality by members of paramilitary groups will continue to be tackled robustly and without hesitation in this jurisdiction by An Garda Síochána and the Criminal Assets Bureau.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 164: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs his views on the most recent report of the Independent Monitoring Commission; his further views on the fact that while IRA paramilitary activity has decreased in recent months, loyalist paramilitaries are still engaged in serious crime and murder; the latest efforts the Government has made to address loyalist paramilitarism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19726/06]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the findings of the Independent Monitoring Commission in its 10th Report that there has been a continuing downward trend in the level of paramilitary violence, as well as its positive overall assessment in relation to the Provisional IRA. Particularly welcome is the confirmation that there has been a complete absence of terrorist or violent activity on the part of the IRA in this period, with the IMC not aware of any "terrorist, paramilitary or violent activity sanctioned by the leadership". It also reiterates its "absolutely clear view" that the IRA leadership has committed itself to following a peaceful path and that "the IRA leadership continues to work to ensure full compliance" with its statement of July 25th. While overall levels of violence were the lowest for any six month period since the IMC began its monitoring, the violent activities of the loyalist paramilitary groups and dissident republican groups continue to cause real concern. With regard to overall levels of violence, loyalists were responsible for 95% of the casualties of shootings and 76% of the assaults. Most cases of exiling were also carried out by loyalist paramilitaries. The two Governments have been absolutely clear on the need for loyalist paramilitary groups to move away definitively from violence and criminality and to engage with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning with a view to putting arms beyond use.

At the last meeting of the British Irish Intergovernmental Conference on 2 May, we again called on all those with influence in this regard to use it to this end. At that meeting, we also discussed the need to support those representatives of the loyalist community who were genuinely committed to positive transformation and leaving paramilitarism behind. We agreed that the Governments had a duty to reach out to all deprived communities in Northern Ireland. In this regard, I welcomed the recent package of measures announced by the British Government to address social and economic deprivation affecting loyalist communities, while also stressing that the allocation of resources should continue to be made on the basis of objective need.