11/24/06 08:36 EST
BLAIR FAILS TO DELIVER PAISLEY NOMINATION AMIDST ABSURDITY
Convicted loyalist murderer Michael Stone is in custody after being apprehended in the lobby of Stormont while attempting to enter the building during today's debate over a return to devolution. The assembly was suspended as television pictures showed Stone being pinned down by security guards at the entrance to the building. He was detained while in possession of a gun, a knife and a suspect device. It is understood he threw a bag into the security check-in, claiming it contained a bomb. There was smoke coming out of the bag and the sound of sparks. Before entering the building it is understood he wrote "Sinn Féin IRA" had been sprayed in red paint on the front of the building. Witnesses claimed he shouted "no surrender" and accused democratic unionist leader the Reverend Ian Paisley of being a traitor. One security officer was taken to hospital with head wounds after Stone's attack.
Stone is notorious for a grenade and gun attack on mourners at the funeral of an IRA member in 1988 at Milltown Cemetery in Belfast. Three mourners were killed during the attack. Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland confirmed his officers were carrying out a rigorous and thorough investigation into the incident and British army bomb disposal experts are examining a number of suspect devices.
The attack came shortly after DUP leader Ian Paisley refused his nomination to become first minister. Before the suspension, there were noisy exchanges in the Assembly as MLAs challenged the Speaker, to explain whether Mr Paisley had fulfilled his obligations under the St Andrews plan for restoring power-sharing. The Assembly was suspended after 40 minutes because MLAs furious challenged Speaker Eileen Beel to explain the status of the sitting following Rev Ian Paisley's refusal to put his name forward as First Minister designate. The DUP leader withheld his name but told the Assembly that, if republicans first supported current policing structures, he would then decide on whether to enter a power-sharing government with Sinn Féin.
11/23/06 18:29 EST
D-DAY TOMORROW FOR ASSEMBLY NOMINATIONS
British Prime Minister Tony Blair's chief of staff, Jonathan Powell, has become involved in the preparations for tomorrow's scheduled meeting of Northern Ireland's Assembly. The DUP and Sinn Féin are due to nominate their choices for First and Deputy First Ministers at the meeting. Mr Powell is now working behind the scenes to ensure some form of ceremony happens at Stor-mont tomorrow. His government wants the DUP and Sinn Fein to indicate their choices for the posts of first and deputy first ministers. Negotiations have been continuing about exactly what will take place in the Stormont assembly. Northern Secretary of State Peter Hain said it was now or never for the politicians.
11/16/06 08:00 EST
BILL TO ENABLE TRANSITIONAL ASSEMBLY ON NOV 24
The Northern Ireland Assembly is to be dissolved next January to prepare for a fresh Stormont election on March 7, the British government revealed today. Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain's Bill implementing the St Andrews Agreement confirmed the Assembly would be dissolved on January 30 ahead of the full restoration of power sharing. The Bill will enable a transitional Assembly to meet from November 24. Mr. Hain also confirmed that Sinn Féin will not have to formally declare support for policing until they assume ministerial posts on 26 March next year.
11/14/06 00:35 EST
DEVOLUTION OF POLICING POWERS KEY - HAIN
Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has insisted that devolving policing and justice powers to a restored Northern Executive is a key element of the St Andrews Agreement. This is despite remarks by the Democratic Unionist Party's Nigel Dodds that it would not happen for a "political lifetime". This recent comment by the North Belfast MP, with his added assertion that Sinn Féin would just "have to lump it" on the issue, caused dismay among nationalists. Some said that by word and tone Mr Dodds's remarks were similar to Dr Paisley's "sackcloth and ashes" demands of Sinn Féin two years ago - comments that were seen as partly responsible for destroying the chance of a deal between the two parties in December 2004.
11/11/06 12:17 EST
ORDE WILLING TO ATTEND ANY SINN FEIN CONFERENCE ON POLICING
Police Service of Northern Ireland Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has said he is willing to attend any Sinn Fein special conference on whether to back policing in Northern Ireland. Sir Hugh told an SDLP conference that he was prepared to give Sinn Fein his views on "the most accountable policing structures in the world". Mr. Orde's comments come following the publication of the results of an international investigation which uncovered considerable and credible evidence of police collusion in 74 sectarian murders during the 1970s.
11/10/06 07:36 EST
GOVERNMENTS TO IMPLEMENT DEVOLUTION PLANS
The Irish and British Governments announced today they would implement plans drawn up last month to revive power sharing in Northern Ireland. Following the responses of parties in Stormont to the proposals, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain and Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern issued a statement saying: "When we concluded our talks at St Andrews in October we asked the parties to reflect on the agreement, to consult with their membership on the proposed way forward and to confirm their acceptance by November 10th."
"These consultations are now complete and the Governments have been in contact with the parties. We are satisfied from these contacts that the St Andrews Agreement, implemented in good faith, represents the basis for a political settlement."
11/09/06 18:20 EST
DUP ISSUES CAUTIOUS RESPONSE TO ANDREWS DEAL
The Democratic Unionist Party at a meeting of its ruling executive has issued a cautious response to the St Andrews Agreement. The party continued to blame its unwillingness to commit to power-sharing on Sinn Fein's position on policing. At the meeting in Castlereagh on the outskirts of Belfast, a resolution was passed neither backing nor rejecting the agreement. The resolution said the party would "continue with the work in progress to ensure upfront delivery by the government and republicans".
11/06/06 09:41 EST
SINN FEIN EXECUTIVE ENDORSES ST. ANDREWS PLAN
The Sinn Fein leadership has finished meeting in Dublin to discuss the St Andrews Agreement. The party's ard chomhairle (executive) has decided to "follow the course set out in the agreement". Party president Gerry Adams said that it has the potential to move the process forward. The ard chomhairle was briefed by MEP Mary Lou McDonald who along with MP Conor Murphy had been heading the consultation on the agreement. Ms McDonald said the meeting had been called to discuss the consultations within Sinn Fein.
11/03/06 11:31 EST
DURKAN URGES REFERENDUM ON ST ANDREWS DEAL
Social, Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) leader Mark Durkan has come out in favor of a referendum on the St Andrews Agreement, saying it would enable the British and Irish governments to put it up to the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). "The way to get the DUP to move is to put them under pressure," said the Foyle MP. "That`s what worked at St Andrews. Faced with a firm deadline and a tough bottom line, the DUP were forced to shift position. But since then, the governments have given the DUP the impression that they are back in control. So, it`s no surprise that the DUP now believe that they can push further and get more. That`s why the DUP are saying there can be no devolution of justice for a political lifetime. It`s why they are pushing for inclusion to be scrapped in the next few years. It`s why they are taking a run at the Parades Commission and the equality agenda."
11/02/06 14:20 EST
DUBLIN TO UNVEIL ITS FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE FOR NORTH
The Irish government is to unveil its own financial package for Northern Ireland after examining the plans revealed by the British Chancellor (Treasury Secretary). Chancellor Gordon Brown said yesterday that the British government would provide GBP£50bn (USD$96 Billion) over the next ten years. Irish deputy premier Michael McDowell said he would consider Mr Brown's package carefully.
11/01/06 14:27 EST
BROWN PLEDGES $96 BILLION IF DEVOLUTION ACHIEVED
British Chancellor Gordon Brown has promised to increase financial support for Northern Ireland to some £50 billion (USD $96 billion) over the next ten years if devolved government is restored to Northern Ireland. The massive package was unveiled by Mr Brown after a meeting in Downing Street with an all-party delegation of Northern Ireland politicians. It includes at least GBP £35 billion over the next four years - up from GBP £32 billion at present - and support for a GBP £18 billion capital investment strategy until 2017. "This will provide the incoming Northern Ireland Executive with certainty to plan public service delivery," the Treasury said.
10/30/06 12:55 EST
PARTIES SEEK $10 BILLION PEACE DIVIDEND
Northern Ireland's political parties are preparing to ask the chancellor for a peace dividend worth up to GBP £5bn (USD$9.6 billion). The parties have spent the day drawing up a strategy in advance of their meeting on Wednesday with Britain's Chancellor Gordon Brown. An all-party delegation will travel to Downing Street for round-table discussions with the chancellor. It is understood they will ask for extra funding, over and above the NI block, of GBP £1bn (USD$1.95 Billion) a year over five years. The parties will call for huge investment in infrastructure and it is expected they will also ask for a delay in the introduction of water charges, as well as a reduction in corporation tax for companies.
10/28/06 11:51 EST
DUP PLAYS DOWN KEY NOV 24 SEQUENCING DATE
The deputy leader of the Democratic Unionist Party today said he would be surprised if the timetable for appointing shadow first ministers is met. On November 24, DUP leader Ian Paisley and Sinn Fein's Martin McGuinness are due to become the shadow first and deputy first ministers. However, the DUP continues to insist on the pre-condition of a pledge of support for policing from Sinn Fein must be in place before then. However, Sinn Féin is arguing that it cannot make such a commitment by that date as it would be seen by republican grassroots as the Sinn Féin leadership pre-empting what decision a Sinn Féin ard fheis (national conference) - which is to be held after November 24th - would take on policing.
10/26/06 20:32 EST
UUP AND DUP ANGER AT ALL-IRELAND ECONOMIC PROPOSALS
The Ulster Unionist Party and the DUP have responded negatively to British-Irish proposals unveiled yesterday to create an all-island economy. The UUP said the British-Irish document sought to transform Northern Ireland "into a colony of the Republic", while DUP MP Gregory Campbell said his party would never accept proposals that were tantamount to an "all-Ireland embryonic idea". The most cutting criticism came from the UUP, with leader Sir Reg Empey warning the proposals could "poison" North-South relations. He used the economic blueprint to criticise the DUP, claiming that its proposals went way beyond what was agreed in this area in the 1998 Belfast Agreement. "This document seems to be intent on turning the Northern Ireland economy from being a region of the UK into a region on the island of Ireland," he said.
10/26/06 12:50 EST
GOVERNMENTS PUBLISH ALL-IRELAND ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT
A groundbreaking blueprint for a 32-county all-Ireland economy is to be unveiled by the British and Irish governments. A host of concrete initiatives to strengthen the economy with North and South co-operation have been flagged up. Pooling together resources in overseas trade promotion, mixing the right skills to support sustained growth, greater collaboration in research and development, and developing a world class infrastructure have been earmarked to benefit cross boarder economic activity. Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern, and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Peter Hain, believe the co-ordinated policies can and will deliver benefits to citizens and businesses both in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
10/25/06 11:39 EST
PARADES COMMISSION REPORT EMPHASIZES DIALOGUE
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has welcomed a report by the Parades Commission which puts dialogue between marchers and residents at the center of dispute resolution. After conducting a review of procedures which included public consultation, the Commission today published Parading in a Peaceful Northern Ireland, mapping future policy in resolving disputes over parades. The report recognised that the relative peace during this year's marching season was not a consequence of changed perceptions among the unionist and nationalist communities. Commission chairman Roger Poole said fall-off in violence that has surrounded previous seasons was due to the efforts of "people in key areas, across their community and the political divide".
10/22/06 11:27 EST
AHERN GIVES BODENSTOWN ADDRESS
Irish premier Bertie Ahern today borrowed the words of DUP leader Ian Paisley today to tell a republican commemoration that a settlement to the Northern Irish question was at its closest for two centuries. Mr Ahern also paid tribute to his British counterpart, Tony Blair, saying the Prime Minister had achieved William Gladstone's mission to "pacify" Ireland. Mr Ahern was speaking at the annual commemoration of Wolfe Tone in Bodenstown, Co Kildare. "In 200 years, there has never been as much dialogue and interaction between all the significant political groupings on this island as there is today," Mr Ahern said. "Nor has there ever been such broad agreement as exists now on the political framework that will govern the future evolution of relations within the North, between North and South, and between Britain and Ireland."
Signalling his optimism over the St Andrews Agreement on restoring devolved government to Northern Ireland, Mr Ahern borrowed the words of the Democratic Unionist Party leader. "Let me quote, perhaps for the first time at this commemoration, from Dr Ian Paisley. He said at St Andrews that we were at a crossroads. He spoke of a new light that could shine on our children and our grandchildren."
10/20/06 12:28 EST
POLICING ISSUE NOT INSURMOUNTABLE SAYS ADAMS
Sinn Fein have started a wide consultation process with party members and supporters before deciding if it will support policing structures as currently constituted in Northern Ireland. The party`s leadership discussed the issue with its 53-member Ard Chomhairle (national executive) during a three-hour meeting in Dublin last night. Sinn Fein must hold a special Ard Fheis (national conference) in order to change its policy to support the PSNI - a key demand by the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). Sinn Fein party chairperson Mary Lou McDonald said that the consultation will take a number of weeks but that the question of a special Ard Fheis on policing issue did not arise at this point.
10/17/06 11:05 EST
PAISLEY PULLS OUT OF SINN FEIN MEETING
Plans to restore power sharing to Northern Ireland's political parties received a setback today when a face-to-face meeting involving the Rev Ian Paisley and Gerry Adams was called off. Britain's Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain stepped in to postpone talks at Stormont following a row over whether Sinn Féin's Martin McGuinness would swear an oath to support the police and rule of law. A Programme for Government meeting involving all sides in Belfast had been planned for this afternoon following last week's political breakthrough at St Andrews, in Scotland. Part of the process negotiated by the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Prime Minister Tony Blair would have meant DUP leader Mr Paisley and Mid Ulster MP and Sinn Féin chief negotiator Mr McGuinness being installed as the First and Deputy First Minister on November 24th. Today's meeting would have been the first time Mr Paisley and Sinn Féin president Mr Adams sat across the table from each other. But when it became clear the DUP was unhappy with what they claimed to be an unresolved issue of Mr McGuinness swearing an oath of support for the police, the discussions were postponed.
10/13/06 11:08 EST
STRUCTURE OF PROPOSED DEAL OUTLINED
Northern Ireland could have devolved Government by March 26th next year if its politicians endorse the St Andrews' agreement, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and British Prime Minister Tony Blair said today. After three days of intensive negotiations the two Premiers set out a sequence of moves on policing and reviving devolution. Under the deal, the parties would have to respond by November 10th, which would set off moves for the restoration of power sharing by March 26th. On October 17th, a new Preparation for Government Committee at Stormont would meet and agree priorities for a new power sharing government. By November 21st, special legislation would be introduced at Westminster to give effect to the St Andrews deal, with the Assembly meeting on November 24th to nominate a Democratic Unionist party First Minister and Sinn Féin Deputy First Minister. That would be followed by an Independent Monitoring Commission report in January, endorsement by the electorate early in March followed by the nomination of other ministers on March 14th with power finally devolved on March 26th.
10/13/06 08:59 EST
SIGNS OF POSSIBLE DEAL EMERGE FROM SCOTLAND TALKS
There were signs this afternoon that an agreement on the future political direction of Northern Ireland may be closer. In the final day of discussions in St Andrews, Scotland, between Northern parties and the two governments, talks sources said the DUP appeared to be more upbeat. They said a new sequence of steps towards devolution appeared to be emerging. A compromise plan is understood to contain a target date of 26 March 2007 for the executive to be up and running. This would follow a carefully sequenced series of steps on policing and power-sharing. This would involve Sinn Féin summoning a meeting of its ard comhairle (governing Executive) to consider calling an ardfheis (national meeting) on the issue of policing. Assuming Sinn Fein approves movement on policing at the ardfheis, then Democratic Unionist leader the Reverend Ian Paisley and Sinn Fein`s Martin McGuinness would be appointed in the Assembly as Stormont First and Deputy First Ministers in a shadow mode without exercising real power. A source said: "There is still some debate over whether there will be a referendum on this deal or an election early in the New Year. It also appears the November 24th deadline is slipping, and there will be more negotiation beyond St Andrews and any paper the two prime ministers put forward today."
10/12/06 09:29 EST
DUP'S POLICING PRECONDITION IMPERILS TALKS
There has been little sign of compromise on the key issues at the center of talks on the future of Northern Ireland as Ian Paisley's Democratic Unionists stands firm in their demand that Sinn Fein fully support current policing structures before the DUP will even consider entering a power-sharing government with republicans. However, speaking this afternoon, a spokesman for the British government said it was clear the DUP and Sinn Féin wanted to resolve the issues but their caution about the other side could prevent them signing off on an agreement. "If necessary that may mean the two Governments calling it by tomorrow lunchtime," he said. "If necessary we are prepared to do that. We will put forward our best guess as to what a way forward is. The parties then would have to decide their responses to that." Republican support for the police is the latest pre-condition by the DUP but Sinn Féin want a commitment from the DUP on sharing power before they move on the policing issue.
10/04/06 10:31 EST
IRA FULFILLED ALL OBLIGATIONS SAYS BLAIR
Politicians in Northern Ireland have a 'unique opportunity' to reach a 'final settlement' in the wake of a new report stating that the IRA has given up violence for good, British Prime Minister Tony Blair has said. The latest analysis of the Independent Monitoring Commission showed that the IRA`s campaign is over and that it had "done what we asked it to", he said in a statement at Downing Street in London. He added: "While issues like policing remain to be resolved, the door is now open to a final settlement which is why the talks next week in Scotland are going to be so important. This will be a unique opportunity."
10/04/06 04:53 EST
IRA COMMITMENT TO PEACE CLEAR-CUT SAYS IMC REPORT
The IRA has moved from being a sophisticated paramilitary threat to an organisation committed to peace, the latest report from the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) said today. The Irish and British governments quickly supported the "clear-cut" finding saying, in comments plainly aimed at unionist parties, that it is not credible to suggest the IRA is not committed to a political solution to the North's problems. The report also found the threat from loyalist paramilitaries had abated but had not gone. In its most positive assessment of the IRA since its creation, the IMC said: "It is now firmly set on a political strategy, eschewing terrorism and other forms of crime. In this process there has been a loss of paramilitary capability." "The leadership has taken a firm stance against the involvement in criminality, both through public statements and internal directions."
ARCHIVE
Read the full stories at The Irish American Information Service
Documents released after talks at St Andrews
29 June 2006
BRITISH AND IRISH GOVERNMENTS' JOINT STATEMENT
Statement by the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach
Stormont 29 June 2006
1. We met today with the parties to review progress towards the restoration of devolved institutions in Northern Ireland by November and to discuss the way ahead. While the Assembly has reconvened in recent weeks we note the disappointment and frustration across Northern Ireland at the inability to move more quickly beyond procedural issues.
2. It is absolutely clear that if devolution is to be restored by the 24 November deadline then the parties will need to engage with greater urgency and determination to reach agreement. If the political will exists then we believe the very few issues which remain to be resolved can be satisfactorily addressed in that timescale.
3. In order to facilitate resolution of these issues, and as envisaged in our statement of 6 April, the Assembly will continue its work in the autumn. Given the urgent need to make rapid progress, we urged the parties to make full use of the summer period to continue work at Committee level so that the Assembly can get down to preparing for Government when it reconvenes in September. In order to assist work in the autumn, we have published today a work plan (below) and an indicative timetable for full restoration. Above all, we hope that parties will use the summer to consult their members and their communities on the way forward. The parties need to weigh in the balance any outstanding issues and any lingering mistrust against the prospect of losing devolution for another generation.
4. We were clear when we met in Armagh that people in Northern Ireland are impatient for progress and will not tolerate a political process which stretches out indefinitely. We are convinced that November is the outer limit of an acceptable timeframe. Failure to meet that deadline would be a failure which will put the Assembly in cold storage from 24 November. That would be very regrettable, but everyone accepts that an Assembly subsidised by the public which is not serving its community through active government is simply not sustainable. In this context, we also took the opportunity today to review progress on new partnership arrangements that would need to be put in place to ensure our effective joint stewardship of the Good Friday Agreement in the event that devolution does not take place by 24 November. This work continues.
5. The key to real political progress is genuine and frank political engagement from all sides on the outstanding issues. That conviction is as strong following our discussions today as it has ever been. We look forward to all concerned intensifying their efforts in the period ahead so that fully-restored institutions can become a reality. The issues that really matter to the people of Northern Ireland can best be addressed by the elected politicians working.
Northern Ireland Political Process: WORK PLAN
July/August
September October
Either November
Or November
December
During the summer parties continue to address necessary issues in preparation for government and to consult their members and communities.
- Preparation for Government Committee continues its work (i) identifying the issues that need to be addressed and (ii) preparing a programme of work to enable the Assembly to address these (to be agreed and announced by end August).
- MLAs and parties discharge responsibilities towards employees, landlords etc in respect of ending of salaries and allowances from 24 November.
During the autumn efforts to elect FM/DFM continue. Parties hold discussions with each other and the Governments on changes to the institutions. Discussions with parties continue on support for and devolution of policing.
- W/B 4 September: Assembly returns.
- W/B 11 September: Peter Hain and Dermot Ahern take stock of progress on all
outstanding issues with the parties.
- Timetabled subjects in plenary on preparation for Government; Preparation for Government Committee continues its work.
Parties conclude discussions on all outstanding issues. Taoiseach and Prime Minister continue to monitor progress closely.
- W/B 2 October: Governments receive and publish IMC report.
- Assembly sessions to prepare for Government continue.
- Final consultations within parties if necessary, and confirmation
of readiness to finalise preparations for government.
- Parties conclude discussions and finalise draft Programme for Government and draft Ministerial Code.
Parties and Governments make final preparations for restoration of the institutions.
- W/B 20 November: last opportunity to amend Standing Orders and introduce Emergency Bill (on changes to the institutions) at Westminster following all-party agreement to restore devolution.
- 24 November: last opportunity for selecting FM/DFM and Executive and affirming pledge of office. By midnight Secretary of State notifies Presiding Officer of intention to make a Restoration Order [effective on Monday 27 November].
- W/B 27 November: Ministers arrive at Departments. Executive meets.
- 24 November: Salaries and allowances for MLAs and financial assistance to parties stop.
- BIIGC at Prime Ministerial Summit level to launch new British Irish partnership arrangements.
IAIS 03/22/06 03:44 EST
BLAIR COMMENT PROVOKES UNIONIST OUTRAGE
British prime minister Tony Blair has provoked unionist fury by comparing Islamist extremists with Protestant killers in Northern Ireland. Mr Blair was accused of character assassination after making the reference during a speech on global terrorism and religious intolerance.
In an impassioned defence of his foreign policy, he insisted Britain's involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan was a clash about civilisation rather than between civilisations. Mr Blair also said ministers have been advised against using the phrase Islamist extremist.
He told the Foreign Policy Centre in London last night: "There are those - perfectly decent-minded people - who say the extremists who commit these acts of terrorism are not true Muslims. And of course, they are right. They are no more proper Muslims than the Protestant bigot who murders a Catholic in Northern Ireland is a proper Christian. But unfortunately he is still a Protestant bigot. To say his religion is irrelevant is both completely to misunderstand his motive and to refuse to face up to the strain of extremism within his religion that has given rise to it."
The comparison outraged Ian Paisley Jr, a Democratic Unionist member of the Northern Ireland Assembly. He said today: "This is a studied insult of the Protestant community." Mr Paisley claimed Mr Blair had ignored decades of republican violence as he focused on one side of Northern Ireland's religious divide.
"The Prime Minister's comments singling out Protestantism as a root cause of terrorism is so unbalanced that it not only reveals the true nature of the Prime Minister but also identifies a weakness in his judgments, his character and his understanding," he said. "He has singularly failed to point the finger at the IRA, and the Roman Catholic Church that refused to condemn years of IRA terrorism. Why is the Prime Minister so biased when it comes to understanding Northern Ireland? Why does he feel it necessary to attack the character and identity of the majority of citizens who are loyal and indeed victims of IRA terrorists? This deliberate character assassination of the Protestant community is a disgraceful, ill-thought-out and indeed provocative attack on a community that does not deserve to be labelled in the false and unacceptable manner that he has done. The PM has revealed that he is nothing more than a charlatan and liar and cannot be regarded as a person who can even begin to understand the situation in Northern Ireland."
IAIS 03/08/06 06:44 EST
9TH IMC REPORT ON SECURITY NORMALISATION
The ninth IMC report, which deals with the program of security normalisation published by the British government last year, restates the commission's belief that the IRA "has taken a strategic decision to follow a political path".
The commission said that the organisation had instructed its members not to engage in public disorder and added that any illegal activity engaged in by the organisation or its members could now be effectively handled by the PSNI without any need for military assistance.
But the report warned that dissident republicans continued to represent a significant threat to the security forces and the public. It said that dissidents' capacity to mount "a sustained campaign" was limited but that they were "prepared to resort to extreme violence".
It pointed out that none of the loyalist groups have taken political decisions similar to that of the IRA but said that it did not consider these groups a significant threat to the security forces.
Loyalist paramilitary groups were, however, heavily involved in the drugs trade and other forms of organised crime, it added.
The report claimed that the British government had fulfilled its commitments under the security normalisation programme but noted that the authorities continued to take account of the security threat.
Measures undertaken as part of the normalisation process have so far included a reduction in the number of British troops by nearly 900 to just over 9,200; the withdrawal of the army from five of the 10 joint PSNI/army bases; the closure of Forkhill Army Base, and the removal or demolition of a number of towers and observation posts.
Ireland's Minister for Justice Michael McDowell welcomed the British government's progress on normalisation and said that it demonstrated both governments' commitment to advancing the peace process in "unequivocal fashion". The IRA movement should respond by fully engaging with policing structures in the North, he added.
Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain also welcomed the progress on normalisation but said he would not hesitate to act if the security situation changed for the worse.
Full test of Ninth IMC Report
Links to all IMC Reports
Irish Proclamation of Freedom Read by Patrick Pearse from the Steps of the General Post Office, Dublin, Ireland on Easter Monday, April 24, 1916
The Irish Government, June 1997:
Bloody Sunday and the Report of the Widgery Tribunal
Full text of the Good Friday Agreement, April 10, 1998.
Investigation into the human rights in Northern Ireland, September 29, 1998
Statement by Rosemary Nelson, solicitor for Garvaghy Road residents
Nobel Peace Price Award, December 11, 1998:
Nobel Address by David Trimble, First Minister and leader of the Ulster Unionist Party
Nobel Address by John Hume, leader of the catholic SDLP
George Mitchell's Peace Principles, November 1999:
Statements of November 16 and 17, 1999, by Ulster Unionist Party, Sinn Féin, Progressive Unionist Party and IRA
George Mitchell's statement, November 18, 1999
Suspension of Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive. February 2000:
Decommissioning reports, Mandelson in House of Commons, IRA statements
Peace process resumed. May 2000
British-Irish joint statement and IRA statement.
Inspection of IRA weapons dumps, June 2000
Arms inspector's report
Abortion Referendum March 7, 2002
IRA Statement on Decommissioning April 8, 2002
Speech by Tony Blair, British Prime Minister, at the Harbour Commisssioners' Offices in Belfast, 17 October 2002.
The murder of Patrick Finucane, 19 February 1989:
Sir John Stevens: Stevens Enquiry, 17 April 2003
Justice Peter Cory: Cory Collusion Inquiry Report, 1 April 2004
Independent International Commission on Decommissioning
Report, October 23, 2001
Report, April 8, 2002
Report, October 21, 2003
Report, September 26, 2005 - Confirming complete decommissioning
Joint statement by the British and Irish governments
Programme for reaching a normal security end-state by April 2005
Joint declaration by the British and the Irish governments, May 2003
Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC):
First report - May 2004
Second report - July 2004
Third report - November 2004
Fourth report - February 2005
Fifth report - May 2005
Sixth report - September 2005
Seventh report - October 2005
Eighth report - February 2006
Ninth report - March 2006
Tenth report - April 2006
Eleventh report - September 2006
Work Programme of the Irish Presidency, 2004.
An Irish bookshop: Read Ireland
Wesley Johnston's History of Ireland
The CAIN Project (The Northern Ireland Conflict)
The Bloody Sunday Inquiry
Independenr Monitoring Commission Sinn Féin Homepage
The Irish Times
I started reading about Ireland and about its history in order to understand just a bit of the Irish paradoxes. Although I started from the very beginning the matter was still incomprehensible. I therefore began to write down the headlines in Danish.
In 1998 when I got my own website I wondered what to put there. My family, my career or my garden could not attract much attention. But my Danish survey of the history of Ireland would be different from most other websites, so I uploaded the whole story.
I considered my web-project to be complete by then. However the beginning of 1998 was to become a turning point in the history of Ireland. The Good Friday Agreement created optimism and a new hope of lasting peace. I therefore added new chapters on the peace agreement and on the ups and downs since then. Obviously there is still a way to go before a real peace has been achieved and right now I can't see the end of my project.
A lot of people wrote to me asking for details or references. This has proved the need for a brief Danish version of the history of Ireland. In 2001 more than 50 persons on the average have been visiting my website every day.
However about 10 % of the visitors on my website are non-Scandinavians. I have added this page in order to serve these people with some information about my project and with some of the important references.
I considered reference documents and speeches most interesting in the original English language. I also have to admit that a proper translation of the documents to Danish is not that simple. On the other hand the number of visitors to the reference pages in English has been very limited. Therefore all information in English will be concentrated in this English section of my website together with selected news.
I have no intention of making an English version of the whole story. I have neither the ability nor the capacity to write in English and several excellent sites already offer that sort of information.
E-mail me your comments and questions
Ireland History in Maps
North West Ireland - Gaoth Dobhair
The Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland
BLOODY SUNDAY 26 Years On ...
BBC News Bloody Sunday Inquiry
CAIN Web Service 'Bloody Sunday', Derry 30 January 1972
Ulster Unionist Party
The Irish Republican Socialist Party
Fine Gael
Ulster Democratic Unionist Party, DUP
Fianna Fáil
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
Progressive Unionist Party
Ulster Nation
The Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Wild Geese (USA) Irish soldiers in exile
Visit Danish Irish Society
December 16, 2001 Top
Since my first visit to Ireland the history of Ireland was a puzzle to me. Why has this beautiful country with its charming and hospitable population become the arena of a never-ending conflict? Differences in religion, language, race or culture gave no reasonable explanation. Which coincidence has caused so much suffering in Ireland while other countries such as Denmark had nothing but trifles to quarrel about?