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DUP: Disbanded IRA Army Council no devolved justice guarantee
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
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Confirmation that the IRA's ruling Army Council has been disbanded will not necessarily pave the way for devolved policing and justice, the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) said tonight.
DUP Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson will need further assurances on accountability structures before the security force handover despite the Government's call for a special report assessing whether the IRA has dismantled all its paramilitary structures.
Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward asked for a response from the Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) ceasefire watchdog by early September.
Mr Donaldson said: ``We will obviously take a very keen interest in what the IMC has to report.
``For policing and justice devolution to occur there has to be sufficient confidence in the unionist community and one of those elements is removing the IRA from the stage.
``This isn't the only factor, there will be others that we need to take into account as well like the structures being put in place for the devolution of policing and justice.''
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What about assuring the Catholic/Nationalist Community of the loyalist terrorist groups disbanding? Last I heard the UVF refused to dissolve and disband.
Posted by Don | 11.08.08, 21:47 GMT
Pure obstruction from he most narrow-minded political party in the Western world.
If every Republican in Ireland were to commit suicide the DUP would say they didn't do it right! The DUP needs to be chastised in an election.
Posted by Patrick | 07.08.08, 12:02 GMT
So they are worried about the IRA army council which is not armed, but they have no problems with the loyalists not even taking part in disarmament yet. That makes sense, talk about holding a double standard.
Posted by Thomas | 07.08.08, 05:32 GMT