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Select Committee · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee

The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland

Status: Closed Opened: 30 Mar 2022 Closed: 28 May 2024 14 recommendations 3 conclusions 1 report

The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee is conducting an inquiry into the effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland. The inquiry is looking at the effectiveness of current measures aimed at tackling paramilitarism in Northern Ireland and considering how the UK Government, Northern Ireland Executive and Irish Government can most effectively … Show more

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - The effect of paramilitary activity and org… HC 43 1 Feb 2024 17 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
5 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Accepted

Introduce a system-wide and Government-wide commitment to trauma-informed practice in Northern Ireland.

There is a correlation between paramilitary activity, deprivation, mental health issues and trauma. We therefore support the trauma-informed and public health approach of the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme. The Government must collaborate with the Executive to introduce forthwith a system-wide and Government- wide commitment to trauma-informed practice. (Paragraph 40) Paramilitary activity … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government commits to collaborating with the Executive to further embed trauma-informed approaches in Northern Ireland, welcomes the EPPOC Sponsor Group's commitment to develop a trauma-informed Programme for Government, and will promote trauma-informed policymaking within UK Government departments in NI.
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
6 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Accepted

Undertake an audit of Northern Ireland’s framework for safeguarding children from paramilitary exploitation.

To counter the risk and reality of people romanticising paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, it is crucial that public agencies and wider civic society use language rooted in safeguarding and child protection when describing the activities of these criminal gangs which include the abuse and exploitation, including sexual abuse and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government notes that the NI Executive's Child Criminal Exploitation Task and Finish Group is developing a CCE definition aligned with Home Office guidance, with updated policies expected by year-end. The CCE action plan and draft MSHT Strategy also aim to improve awareness of child …
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
8 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Accepted

Share good practice to improve NRM awareness and use among NI welfare and justice agencies.

We are concerned about the lack of use of the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) in NI. The NRM is a tool for public agencies to provide a strategic safeguarding response to paramilitary activity. While we acknowledge that support for modern slavery victims is devolved, we recommend that forthwith the Government … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of the NRM, noting that the NI Executive's Child Criminal Exploitation Task and Finish Group's action plan includes increasing NRM awareness among agencies, and the draft Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Strategy also aims to improve NRM use.
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
16 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Accepted

Conduct a scoping exercise to assess public support for a paramilitary group transition process.

We have heard evidence both for and against the establishment of formal process of Group Transition. On the one hand, we are concerned that a Group Transition process aimed at the disbandment of paramilitary groups could inadvertently risk reinforcing the status of such groups and fail to displace the coercive … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the recommendation for a formal paramilitary group transition process and is committed to taking forward further work, including independent scoping and engagement, to assess public support and merit for such a process.
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office

Oral evidence sessions

11 sessions
Date Witnesses
18 Oct 2023 Dr Aaron Edwards · The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Dr Seán Brennan, Independent Researcher View ↗
17 Oct 2023 Jamie Bryson · Centre for the Union View ↗
26 Apr 2023 John McBurney · Independent Reporting Commission, Mitchell Reiss · Independent Reporting Commission, Monica McWilliams · Independent Reporting Commission, Tim O'Connor · Independent Reporting Commission View ↗
8 Mar 2023 Chris Heaton-Harris MP · Northern Ireland Office, Dominic Wilson · Northern Ireland Office, James Crawford · Northern Ireland Office View ↗
22 Feb 2023 Alison Flanagan · Christians Against Poverty (CAP), Brian Anderson · East Belfast Mission, Ronnie Armour · Northern Ireland Prison Service, Steven McCourt · Northern Ireland Prison Service View ↗
1 Feb 2023 Ian Jeffers · Commission for Victims and Survivors Northern Ireland, Megan Phair · The Stop Attacks Forum, Mr Peter Murtagh · South East Fermanagh Foundation, Paul Smyth · The Stop Attacks Forum, Sandra Peake · Wave Trauma Centre View ↗
18 Jan 2023 Clare Moore · Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick · Ulster University, Maxine Murphy Higgins · NASUWT - The Teachers' Union, Mrs Siobhán Harding · Women’s Support Network, Ms Elaine Crory · Women’s Resource and Development Agency, Sonya McMullan · Women's Aid NI View ↗
12 Dec 2022 John McBurney · Independent Reporting Commission, Mitchell Reiss · Independent Reporting Commission, Monica McWilliams · Independent Reporting Commission, Tim O’Connor · Independent Reporting Commission View ↗
23 Nov 2022 Daniel Holder · Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ), Professor Marie Breen-Smyth the Independent Reviewer of the exercised powers under the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007, Úna Boyd · Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) View ↗
9 Nov 2022 Dr Brendan Coyle · Ulster University, Dr Conor Murray · Ulster University, Mairead McCafferty · Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Mark Dennison · Irish Football Association, Ms Koulla Yiasouma · Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People View ↗
26 Oct 2022 Adele Brown · The Northern Ireland Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime, Andy Hill · Police Service of Northern Ireland, Mark McEwan · Police Service of Northern Ireland, Naomi Long MLA · Northern Ireland Department of Justice, Richard Pengelly · Northern Ireland Department of Justice View ↗

Who gave evidence

39 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
John McBurney · Commissioner Independent Reporting Commission 2
Mitchell Reiss · Commissioner Independent Reporting Commission 2
Monica McWilliams · Commissioner Independent Reporting Commission 2
Adele Brown · Programme Director The Northern Ireland Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime 1
Alison Flanagan · National Leader, Northern Ireland Christians Against Poverty (CAP) 1
Andy Hill · Detective Chief Superintendent Police Service of Northern Ireland 1
Brian Anderson · Mission Superintendent East Belfast Mission 1
Chris Heaton-Harris MP · Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Office 1
Clare Moore · Equality Officer Irish Congress of Trade Unions 1
Daniel Holder · Director Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) 1
Dominic Wilson · Director General Northern Ireland Office 1
Dr Aaron Edwards · Senior Lecturer in Defence and International Affa… The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 1
Dr Brendan Coyle · Lecturer in Criminology Ulster University 1
Dr Ciara Fitzpatrick · Lecturer in Law Ulster University 1
Dr Conor Murray · Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice Ulster University 1
Dr Seán Brennan, Independent Researcher — 1
Ian Jeffers · Commissioner Commission for Victims and Survivors Northern Ireland 1
James Crawford · Deputy Director of the Security and Protection Gr… Northern Ireland Office 1
Jamie Bryson · Director of NI Policy Centre for the Union 1
Mairead McCafferty · Chief Executive Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People 1
Mark Dennison · Stay Onside Manager & Fresh Start Through Sport C… Irish Football Association 1
Mark McEwan · Assistant Chief Constable Police Service of Northern Ireland 1
Maxine Murphy Higgins · Policy and Casework Official NASUWT - The Teachers' Union 1
Megan Phair · Co-ordinator, Journey to Empowerment Programme wi… The Stop Attacks Forum 1
Mr Peter Murtagh · Advocacy Support Manager South East Fermanagh Foundation 1
Mrs Siobhán Harding · Research and Policy Officer Women’s Support Network 1
Ms Elaine Crory · Good Relations Co-Ordinator Women’s Resource and Development Agency 1
Ms Koulla Yiasouma · Commissioner Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People 1
Naomi Long MLA · Minister of Justice Northern Ireland Department of Justice 1
Paul Smyth · Executive Director of Politics in Action and Memb… The Stop Attacks Forum 1
Professor Marie Breen-Smyth the Independent Reviewer of the exercised powers under the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 — 1
Richard Pengelly · Permanent Secretary Northern Ireland Department of Justice 1
Ronnie Armour · Director General Northern Ireland Prison Service 1
Sandra Peake · Chief Executive Officer Wave Trauma Centre 1
Sonya McMullan · Regional Services Manager Women's Aid NI 1
Steven McCourt · Director of Rehabilitation Northern Ireland Prison Service 1
Tim O'Connor · Commissioner Independent Reporting Commission 1
Tim O’Connor · Commissioner Independent Reporting Commission 1
Úna Boyd · Immigration Project Solicitor and Coordinator Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ) 1

Correspondence

4 letters
DateDirectionTitle
7 Jun 2023 — Correspondence from the Secretary of State, relating to the effect of paramilit…
8 Mar 2023 — Correspondence from Northern Ireland Prison Service, relating to the effect of …
8 Feb 2023 — Correspondence to the PSNI relating to the effect of paramilitary activity and …
8 Feb 2023 — Correspondence from the PSNI relating to the effect of paramilitary activity an…