He said: “The two Governments have agreed to jointly appoint, in the period ahead, within the existing IRC legislative framework, an independent expert to carry out a short scoping and engagement exercise to assess whether there is merit in, and support for, a formal process of engagement to bring about paramilitary group transition to disbandment.
The UK and Irish Governments are to appoint an independent figure to examine whether a formal process of engagement with paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland is required to bring about their disbandment.
“In 2024, we have seen shifting dynamics within both republican and loyalist paramilitary groups, including changes in leadership, reported splits, speculation about possible feuds, ongoing questions about whether actions were sanctioned by paramilitary leaders, various interpretations of larger gatherings of people, and increasing interactions with organised crime.
“Our report advocates for a third dimension to complement the twin-track approach: an agreed formal process of group transition, involving direct engagement with the paramilitary groups themselves, in order to bring about their ending.”.
In its seventh report, the IRC reiterated its call for the two Governments to appoint an independent person to scope out what a formal process of engagement and group transition might look like.
