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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

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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

7 items
1 Conclusion Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Acknowledged

Terminology for paramilitarism in Northern Ireland is complex, contested and risks misrepresentation

The term ‘paramilitarism’ is complex and contested in Northern Ireland. We heard how use of the term can risk romanticising the presence of gangs who engage in overt criminality and attempt to exercise coercive control over the communities they seek to prey upon. At the same time, however, terms such … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of safeguarding children and young people from abuse by paramilitary or organised crime gangs.
Read full response →
Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
3 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Acknowledged

Engage DWP to improve universal credit access and develop NI childcare strategy

The high cost of living in Northern Ireland has contributed to a ‘cruel storm’ which paramilitary groups are exploiting to target vulnerable individuals. Single mothers in precarious financial situations are being targeted by paramilitary groups engaging in illegal money lending practices. The structure of universal credit, the lack of a … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged concerns about illegal money lending and stated the Northern Ireland Office will continue regular engagement with DWP to discuss these issues. It noted existing credit advice on the NI Direct website and deferred the childcare strategy development to the restored NI Executive, …
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
4 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Acknowledged

Set out approval process for NI EVAWG strategy during Executive suspension

We are concerned to hear about the gatekeeping of funding and other activity by paramilitary groups which has increasingly excluded women and the community and voluntary sector since the signing of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement. This has implications for the construction of a post-conflict society in Northern Ireland. We are … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the restoration of the NI Executive, seeing it as an opportunity for the Executive to progress a strategy on ending violence against women and girls, and highlights existing funding for related projects.
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
7 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Acknowledged

Embed a safeguarding approach to prosecute paramilitary activity as modern slavery and exploitation.

Low prosecution rates for those who commit violent crime can act as a barrier to reporting the crimes of paramilitary groups and serve to perpetuate the impunity with which these groups act. An effective criminal justice system able to identify perpetrators of paramilitary violence and bring them to justice is … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of safeguarding and prosecuting paramilitary-related crimes, noting that the devolved NI Executive is taking forward work including a Child Criminal Exploitation Task and Finish Group and an MSHT Strategy, which aim to strengthen the criminal justice system.
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
9 Conclusion Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Acknowledged

Lack of an Executive impedes collaborative efforts to tackle paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland.

The continued presence of paramilitary groups, 25 years on from the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, represents a festering wound on society in Northern Ireland. Given the delineation of responsibilities between the Government and the Northern Ireland Executive in tackling terrorist and paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland, the lack of an Executive … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the assessment that tackling paramilitarism requires a whole-of-government approach, noting the Executive's restoration as an opportunity to prioritize this work and ensure coordination.
Read full response →
Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
10 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Acknowledged

Prioritise ending paramilitary harm as a strategic commitment in the Programme for Government.

Tackling paramilitarism in Northern Ireland requires a whole of Government approach. While we are mindful that it is ultimately a matter for any newly formed Executive to decide its priorities for government, we urge the next administration in Northern Ireland to ensure that the commitment set out in New Decade, … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for a whole-of-government approach to tackling paramilitarism and sees the Executive's restoration as an opportunity to ensure this work remains a priority.
Read full response →
Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
11 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Acknowledged

Undertake updated analysis of paramilitary activity to inform national security strategy scope in Northern Ireland.

There is a live debate as to whether the current scope of national security, as it relates to Northern Ireland, should be revised to include threats other than those to democracy and the state, such as paramilitary activity like drug dealing, extortion and murder, to enable greater joint working between … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for a whole-of-government approach and commits to keeping under ongoing review the effectiveness of mechanisms for coordinating responses to threats from terrorism, paramilitarism, and organised crime, stating roles are well understood.
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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…