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

Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 30 Mar 2022 Closed: 28 May 2024 Parliament page
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 … Read more
14 Recommendations
3 Conclusions
1 Report
11 Oral sessions
4 Letters
12 Events
Activity timeline 29 events
23 May
2024
Report published
1 Feb
2024
Report published
18 Oct
2023
Oral evidence
18 Oct
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
17 Oct
2023
Oral evidence
17 Oct
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
7 Jun
2023
Correspondence
26 Apr
2023
Oral evidence
26 Apr
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 8, Palace of Westminster
8 Mar
2023
Oral evidence
8 Mar
2023
Correspondence
8 Mar
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 11 sessions
18 Oct 2023
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Dr Aaron Edwards · The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Dr Seán Brennan, Independent Researcher
17 Oct 2023
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Jamie Bryson · Centre for the Union
26 Apr 2023
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John McBurney · Independent Reporting Commission Mitchell Reiss · Independent Reporting Commission Monica McWilliams · Independent Reporting Commission Tim O'Connor · Independent Reporting Commission
8 Mar 2023
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Chris Heaton-Harris MP · Northern Ireland Office Dominic Wilson · Northern Ireland Office James Crawford · Northern Ireland Office
22 Feb 2023
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Alison Flanagan · Christians Against Poverty (CAP) Brian Anderson · East Belfast Mission Ronnie Armour · Northern Ireland Prison Service Steven McCourt · Northern Ireland Prison Service
1 Feb 2023
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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
18 Jan 2023
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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
12 Dec 2022
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John McBurney · Independent Reporting Commission Mitchell Reiss · Independent Reporting Commission Monica McWilliams · Independent Reporting Commission Tim O’Connor · Independent Reporting Commission
23 Nov 2022
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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)
9 Nov 2022
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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
26 Oct 2022
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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
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Second Report - The effect of paramilitary activity and organise… HC 43 1 Feb 2024 17 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
5 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - The effect of para…
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Northern Ireland Office
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6 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - The effect of para…
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 … Read more
Government Response
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 exploitation offences and NRM referrals.
Northern Ireland Office
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8 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - The effect of para…
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Northern Ireland Office
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16 Recommendation Accepted
Second Report - The effect of para…
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Northern Ireland Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 17 of 14 classified
Accepted 4
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 7
Deferred 5
Total 14 recs + 3 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
7 Jun 2023 Correspondence from the Secretary of State, relating to the effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland inquiry, 31 May 2023
Parliament page
8 Mar 2023 Correspondence from Northern Ireland Prison Service, relating to the effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland, 6 March 2023
Parliament page
8 Feb 2023 Correspondence to the PSNI relating to the effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland inquiry, 24 January 2023
Parliament page
8 Feb 2023 Correspondence from the PSNI relating to the effect of paramilitary activity and organised crime on society in Northern Ireland inquiry, 1 February 2023
Parliament page