Any word yet on the governmental Report on the army council?

[Denn Forever]

No meetings of government for three months.  What will happen if the governmental report is unfavourable on the current role of the IRA army council (and why it has not disbanded)? 

Can the executive survive an unfavorable report?

[An Fear Rua]

havent they already told the boul Peter Robinson(if ever someones initials were so inappropriate) that the still exist but are no involved in terrorist activities?


PR has know this for a week, but hasnt yet disolved the farce.

edit : sorry that was merely a chief constable , not the IMC

[Hereiam]

Dam rite.

[lynchbhoy]

No meetings of government for three months.  What will happen if the governmental report is unfavourable on the current role of the IRA army council (and why it has not disbanded)? 

Can the executive survive an unfavorable report?

the army council do not exist in the previous format. They live therefore exist, so until they actually die, there can and will be claims that the 'army council' still exist.
which is , as we all know, a load of sihte.

the bay city rollers (or any other now defunct musical group) still are alive, therefore exist 'as a band' but that hardly means square root of fcuk all !

it will have nothing to do with current gov (whether in Ireland or England - or any 'assembly' in North of Ireland)

[An Fear Rua]

 IRA council 'serves no function'  according to the latest report on the bbc

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7596017.stm

The Independent Monitoring Commission has said the IRA's army council no longer operates and serves no function.

It says the IRA has relinquished the leadership and structures it used during the troubles.

The DUP has said the army council must cease to exist before policing and justice powers can be devolved.

In a report given to the British and Irish governments, the IMC says it does not expect an announcement from the IRA that the army council will disband.

"We are aware of the questions posed about the public disbandment of (Provisional Irish Republican Army's) PIRA's leadership structures," the report said.

"We believe that PIRA has chosen another method of bringing what it describes as its armed struggle to a final close.

"Under PIRA's own rules the army council was the body that directed its military campaign.

"Now that that campaign is well and truly over, the army council by deliberate choice is no longer operational or functional.

"This situation has been brought about by a conscious decision to let it fall into disuse rather than through any other mechanism."

The report concluded: "The mechanism which they have chosen to bring the armed conflict to a complete end has been the standing down of the structures which engaged in the armed campaign and the conscious decision to allow the army council to fall into disuse.

"By taking these steps PIRA has completely relinquished the leadership and other structures appropriate to a time of armed conflict."

Speaking at Hillsborough Castle, Secretary of State Shaun Woodward said the report was "ground breaking".

"The IMC makes clear that the army council is now redundant," he said.

"I urge people to read the report very carefully.

"As the IMC made clear, 'the leadership structures have definitely ceased to function in the way they did during the time of conflict'. Today's report confirms this has happened."

Unionists have said political progress is being blocked by the IRA's failure to completely disband.

Peter Robinson, the DUP leader, has said he will not meet republican demands for the devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont until the IRA is finally at an end.

He said: "I don't believe that we are in that position. We require the removal of the IRA's army council and we've always made that clear."

The DUP and Sinn Fein leaderships are expected to meet for talks on Thursday.

Political tensions

They are hoping to avoid a major crisis over the future of the power-sharing government and are divided over such issues as the devolution of justice powers, education reform, the future of the Maze prison site and the promotion of the Irish language.

The foundations for power-sharing between the DUP and Sinn Fein were laid at the St Andrews political deal of 2006, and identified May of this year as a target date for the transfer of justice powers.

But the DUP has insisted it will not budge until the circumstances are right. Sinn Fein has threatened to pull its ministers out of the Stormont cabinet if progress is not made soon.

BBC Ireland correspondent Mark Simpson said it is hoped the new report will help ease the current tensions at Stormont, where the power-sharing executive has not met for almost three months.



I hope the report was in the right font style and size............

[ziggysego]

IRA council 'serves no function'  according to the latest report on the bbc

Serves no function and is incapable of carrying out any attacks. It is being allowed to wither away naturally.

The DUP aren't happy though.

[An Fear Rua]

NEW HURDLE #1 - Speaking to U105, DUP MP Nigel Dodds says the IMC report shows that more needs to be done by the IRA.

"We have always said that it is only in the context of the complete disbandment of IRA paramilitarism that that could even be discussed.

"But there are other issues out there anyway - such as community confidence. It will take time to build that confidence," Mr Dodds said.

(This assumes the report was in the right font style and size............)

[Gaoth Dobhair Abu]

NEW HURDLE #1 - Speaking to U105, DUP MP Nigel Dodds says the IMC report shows that more needs to be done by the IRA.

"We have always said that it is only in the context of the complete disbandment of IRA paramilitarism that that could even be discussed.

"But there are other issues out there anyway - such as community confidence. It will take time to build that confidence," Mr Dodds said.

(This assumes the report was in the right font style and size............)

Ah sweet jesus, those cnuts will never be satisfied, fcuk that for a game of soldiers, I now fully believe that if that dickhead Robinson doesn't sort something out at Thursdays meeting re: progress on policing then Sinn Fein should walk the fcuk out of Stormont! 

[donalmac99]

if it serves no function then why does it still exist?

[lynchbhoy]

if it serves no function then why does it still exist?

it exists because the members are still all alive
you hardly expect the army council to offer comment to anyone  - including the imc etc.
Thats a load of bollix and the imc report is still mostly 'guesswork'.

as for new hurdle number one
I wrote on here months/years ago that the unionists wont accept any ceasefire/standing down/disbanding/arms beyond use/decommissioning...
it would take for the entire nationalist population to be shipped off the island of Ireland with only the orange fraternity themselves left behind to then allow them to admit that the IRA are no longer in Ireland etc
then again, they'd prob start accusing each other of being unionist but closet IRA folk and perpetuate the whole facade and farce.

its a unionist tactic to keep it being mentioned to scare their loyalist voters into keeping them voted in as they are seen to speak out against them IRA folk and the 'threat' on their doorsteps

[Donagh]

if it serves no function then why does it still exist?

You should ask the DUP that - they seem to need it more than anyone.

[donalmac99]

if it serves no function then why does it still exist?

You should ask the DUP that - they seem to need it more than anyone.

so thats a one reason why they shouldnt exist?

[donalmac99]

if it serves no function then why does it still exist?

it exists because the members are still all alive
you hardly expect the army council to offer comment to anyone  - including the imc etc.
Thats a load of bollix and the imc report is still mostly 'guesswork'.
as for new hurdle number one
I wrote on here months/years ago that the unionists wont accept any ceasefire/standing down/disbanding/arms beyond use/decommissioning...
it would take for the entire nationalist population to be shipped off the island of Ireland with only the orange fraternity themselves left behind to then allow them to admit that the IRA are no longer in Ireland etc
then again, they'd prob start accusing each other of being unionist but closet IRA folk and perpetuate the whole facade and farce.

its a unionist tactic to keep it being mentioned to scare their loyalist voters into keeping them voted in as they are seen to speak out against them IRA folk and the 'threat' on their doorsteps

so are you writing this as someone who 'knows' or is it guesswork on your part?

[lynchbhoy]

if it serves no function then why does it still exist?

it exists because the members are still all alive
you hardly expect the army council to offer comment to anyone  - including the imc etc.
Thats a load of bollix and the imc report is still mostly 'guesswork'.
as for new hurdle number one
I wrote on here months/years ago that the unionists wont accept any ceasefire/standing down/disbanding/arms beyond use/decommissioning...
it would take for the entire nationalist population to be shipped off the island of Ireland with only the orange fraternity themselves left behind to then allow them to admit that the IRA are no longer in Ireland etc
then again, they'd prob start accusing each other of being unionist but closet IRA folk and perpetuate the whole facade and farce.

its a unionist tactic to keep it being mentioned to scare their loyalist voters into keeping them voted in as they are seen to speak out against them IRA folk and the 'threat' on their doorsteps

so are you writing this as someone who 'knows' or is it guesswork on your part?

it doesnt take a genius to work out the parts that I commented on

but I would appear to know more than yourself, but dont know why that should be given the obvious!

Am a long time interested party, plenty are!

[donalmac99]

if it serves no function then why does it still exist?

it exists because the members are still all alive
you hardly expect the army council to offer comment to anyone  - including the imc etc.
Thats a load of bollix and the imc report is still mostly 'guesswork'.
as for new hurdle number one
I wrote on here months/years ago that the unionists wont accept any ceasefire/standing down/disbanding/arms beyond use/decommissioning...
it would take for the entire nationalist population to be shipped off the island of Ireland with only the orange fraternity themselves left behind to then allow them to admit that the IRA are no longer in Ireland etc
then again, they'd prob start accusing each other of being unionist but closet IRA folk and perpetuate the whole facade and farce.

its a unionist tactic to keep it being mentioned to scare their loyalist voters into keeping them voted in as they are seen to speak out against them IRA folk and the 'threat' on their doorsteps

so are you writing this as someone who 'knows' or is it guesswork on your part?

it doesnt take a genius to work out the parts that I commented on

but I would appear to know more than yourself, but dont know why that should be given the obvious!

Am a long time interested party, plenty are!

nope, to be fair you know nothing in honesty. It's all obvously guesswork on your part. Im just glad that you wrote 'on here' all those years ago and not on a platform where more would be exposed to your embarrassing pseudo assertions with regard to the thinking of the IRA Amy Council.
BTW im pmsl at the 'it exists because its members are still alive' quote, Monty python would be proud bless his soul