Proscribed Organisations: Northern Ireland
(asked on 18th October 2022) - View Source
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland, and (2) the relationship between the IRA Army Council and Sinn Féin.
An Assessment of Paramilitary Groups in Northern Ireland was commissioned in 2015 by the UK Government in order to provide a factual assessment from the UK security agencies and the PSNI on the structure, role and purpose of paramilitary organisations in Northern Ireland.
The Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) was established to report on progress towards ending paramilitary activity connected with Northern Ireland, and to report on and inform the implementation of the NI Executive’s Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitary Activity, Criminality and Organised Crime. The Fourth Report of the IRC is available here:
It is a matter of public record that the structures of a number of paramilitary groups still exist in Northern Ireland - that includes the Provisional IRA.
The IRA, including the Provisional IRA, remains a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000. Where any criminality exists, I am clear that it should be dealt with fully by the police.