IRA 'must dismantle command structure'
Democratic Unionists want to see the IRA’s command structure dismantled before agreeing to enter government, the DUP's Jeffrey Donaldson said today.
He was speaking as the Independent Monitoring Commission handed in its 12th report, which is expected to address the issue, to the British and Irish Governments.
The assessment by the body set up to monitor the IRA and loyalist ceasefires could have a significant impact on efforts to restore power-sharing, with the DUP calling for further assurances on criminality before accepting Sinn Féin.
Mr Donaldson said: “We differ from the IMC in their view that it’s not a matter of concern that the command and control structure of the IRA remains intact.
“If they are no longer engaged in criminal or paramilitary activity, there’s no need for that and we will want to see that structure dismantled.
“We don’t want to pre-empt the report but I think most people will want to be sure that what the IMC says is reflected by the reality on the ground over a period of time.”
Local politicians are travelling to Scotland next week for hot-house talks aimed at restoring devolution by the November 24 deadline and the Governments will be hoping for a positive assessment from the scrutiny body.
The four commissioners’ findings will be made public on Wednesday.
The DUP has met the IMC since its last dossier to demand clarification of earlier findings that the IRA's command structure remained in place.
The report will also deal with the murder of republican spy Denis Donaldson in Donegal last April.
It should address the activities of dissident republicans and loyalists.
The IMC was set up in January 2004 to monitor paramilitaries as well as report on British security “normalisation”.
