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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

5 items
2 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Deferred

Urge Executive to support communities addressing paramilitary murals and flags

Memorials, commemorative artefacts and flags glorifying paramilitary groups serve as a visual signifier of the coercive control that such groups attempt to have over communities and can retraumatise the victims and survivors of paramilitary violence. The PSNI does not always have sufficient political support to remove paramilitary flags. We urge … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government response completely deflects from the recommendation concerning paramilitary murals, instead discussing engagement between DWP and DfC on social security, credit services, and the development of a childcare strategy for Northern Ireland.
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
12 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Deferred

Extend multi-year funding period for Tackling Paramilitarism Programme Phase Three to five years.

We welcome the announcement in the 2023 Budget of an additional £3 million for 2024/25 to extend the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme in Northern Ireland. The Programme is carrying out vital work to develop strategies to tackle paramilitarism systematically. Paramilitarism is a long-term problem which requires sustained funding. As part of … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government does not commit to extending the multi-year funding for the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme to five years or maintaining specific funding levels. It instead states that Additional Security Funding is for PSNI counter-terrorism work and that day-to-day policing and spending decisions remain the responsibility …
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
13 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Deferred

Establish improved funding arrangements for Northern Ireland's counter-terrorism and justice budgets.

The Government’s contribution to additional security funding for counter-terrorism has recently stagnated despite the continuing terrorist threat, and the justice budget in Northern Ireland has risen by just 3% compared to respective increases of 70% 50 The effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland and … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that policing and police funding are devolved matters for the NI Executive to determine, while confirming its existing Additional Security Funding of £32m per year until 2024/25, which is not for day-to-day policing.
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
14 Recommendation Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Deferred

Increase PSNI officer headcount to at least 7,500 through recurrent funding provision.

We are concerned at the budgetary shortfall that the PSNI is facing, not least in the context of recent security incidents evidencing starkly the ongoing threat from terrorist and paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland. The financial liabilities that the Service may now incur as a result of the significant data … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government states that increasing PSNI officers to 7,500 is an NI Executive priority, and policing in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the Executive and Department of Justice to resource.
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Northern Ireland Executive Northern Ireland Office
17 Conclusion Second Report - The effect of paramilit… Deferred

Paramilitary groups are fragmented; sub-group transition concept requires further development and consideration.

Paramilitary groups do not resemble cohesive units, rather they are composed of sub-groups that vary in location, strength of affiliation and level of criminal activity. We have heard that some sub-groups are readying themselves for transition, whilst others show little appetite to transition away from criminality. We see some merit … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges recommendations for a formal process to facilitate paramilitary group transition and commits to undertaking further independent scoping and engagement to assess its merit and support.
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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…