Request to Independent Monitoring Commission

The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform confirmed today that the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr Dermot Ahern T.D., in tandem with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mr Shaun Woodward MP, has requested an ad hoc report from the Independent Monitoring Commission.

Further to comments the IMC made in relation to IRA structures in its 18th Report, the Governments have requested a fuller assessment of the completion of the transformation of that organisation.

The report is expected to be delivered by 1 September 2008.

6 August 2008

Note for Editors
The new report will be the IMC’s Nineteenth.  It has delivered two previous ad hoc reports (the Fourth and Sixth) and a further additional report at the request of the Governments (the Eighth) under Articles 4 and 7 of the International Agreement establishing the Commission.  Article 4 allows the Commission, if it sees fit to do so or at the Governments’ request, to report on a particular issue separately from its regular six-monthly reports on paramilitary activity.