Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 November 2016
126. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade when the new independent reporting commission on paramilitary groups will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36571/16]
View answerOn 13 September, on behalf of the Government, I signed an international agreement with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to establish the Independent Reporting Commission.
The Commission will have four members, and will report annually on the progress being made in tackling paramilitarism and associated criminality, in particular on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Executive’s strategy for ending paramilitarism. The Commission’s reports will also inform future Northern Ireland Executive Programme for Government commitments through to 2021.
The members of the Commission will need a range of skills to discharge their responsibilities. Consideration is being given at present to the Government’s appointment, and there is coordination with the British Government and the Northern Ireland Executive as appropriate to provide that the skill sets of the four Commissioners will be complementary and broad-based.
My colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality will shortly bring forward legislative proposals to the Government in order to establish the IRC in law.
The Government’s aim is to get the Independent Reporting Commission established and up and running by the end of the year. Its establishment will be an important step in implementing the Fresh Start Agreement provisions to free vulnerable communities from the vestiges of paramilitarism and to tackle organised crime.
