John Gormley
Question:5 Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his views on the progress on decommissioning under the Good Friday Agreement. [30958/01]
Other Questions. - Northern Ireland Issues.
As I stated in my reply to Parliamentary Question No. 449 of 13 November 2001, the IRA stated on 23 October that it had implemented the scheme previously agreed with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.
Subsequently the commission issued a report confirming that a quantity of arms, including firearms, ammunition and explosives, had been decommissioned in an event regarded by the commission as significant. The commission indicated that it would continue its contact with the IRA representative in the pursuit of its mandate and I am aware that this contact is being maintained.
The Government has welcomed this act of decommissioning, which represents substantial progress, and I urge all paramilitary groups to engage fully with the commission in order to achieve the complete decommissioning of paramilitary arms.
In the Minister's reply, I note he mentioned paramilitary arms. Does the Minister agree that the test of any State claiming democratic status is that it relies solely upon its civil authorities to maintain law and order? In that regard, will he refer not just to the weapons of dissident republicans and loyalist paramilitaries, but also to the military apparatus of the British Army and the question of legally held arms which continue to provide a militaristic set of circumstances in Northern Ireland? When we are casting the net that wide, will the Minister take into account the explosive potential of the Sellafield installation also? He should have regard—
That is a separate question and the Minister has no responsibility in the matter.
I appreciate that but as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform he is taking questions on decommissioning under the Good Friday Agreement. I raise this issue because of Strand 3 of the Agreement and he should have regard to the potential for devastating and explosive consequences, which happened in Russia in 1957—
The Deputy's time has expired.
—rendering 1,000 square kilometres of land uninhabitable.
The Deputy has exceeded the time available for supplementary questions.
In common with all Members, I look forward to the day when we see the demilitarisation of all weapons in the North of Ireland. There was a positive response from the British Government to the IRA's decommissioning and I hope we continue to see demilitarisation and normalisation in the North.
While all sides of the House welcome the decommissioning that enabled progress to take place under the Good Friday Agreement, is it the Government's understanding that what has taken place to date is a single act of decommissioning? Does the Government expect further acts of decommissioning? Does the Government have any views as to when full decommissioning, if that phrase can be used, will be concluded and completed?
General de Chastelain's report and the independent body are in the public domain and the report sets out the situation as far as they know it. I welcome the recent act of decommissioning by the IRA and I recognise it as substantial progress which I want to see continue.
In that regard, the independent international commission on decommissioning has made a report and it has indicated that it will definitely continue its contact with the IRA representative in the pursuit of its mandate and I am aware that this contact is taking place.
To take Deputy Sargent's point, decommissioning is not only a matter for the IRA but for all paramilitary organisations. I urge them all to engage with the commission so that all paramilitary arms can be decommissioned. I have already referred to demilitarisation.
Does the Minister agree the ultimate act of decommissioning, which all democratic parties would like to see, is the standing down of all private armies on this island? Does he also agree it is incompatible with that for any political party to present itself as being committed to democracy and engaging in the electoral process while continuing to maintain a private army in the background? Does he join me in urging that all private armies on the island be decommissioned, effectively, and stood down to allow normal democratic politics to take its course in both North and South?
I share Deputy Shatter's aspiration. It is unacceptable for any political party to support the right of any individuals to group together as a private army. I hope we will shortly see the day when all such private armies are disbanded.