Republican and loyalist paramilitaries remain a “clear and present danger” in Northern Ireland, the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) has stated in its third annual report. The commissioners, in their report published on Tuesday, called for actions to assist deprived communities where paramilitaries continue to have “coercive control”. Its remit is to report on progress towards ending paramilitarism. While this, in our view, is unacceptable, it is the reality of the complex landscape in Northern Ireland,” they added. Welcoming publication of the report the North’s justice Minister Naomi Long said that the Executive had an action plan to tackle paramilitary activity.

Source: The Irish Times November 17, 2020 12:56 UTC