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Board to discuss watchdog report 'IRA is winding down' says Orde
(about 12 hours later)
The implications of a report on paramilitary activity are likely to be discussed at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has said he "broadly supports" the latest report on IRA activity by the Independent Monitoring Commission.
The board is meeting in Belfast on Thursday, when it will receive a report from the chief constable. The report said the IRA had changed radically and some of its most important structures were dismantled.
The DUP is still demanding Sinn Fein fully support the police before they consider doing any deal on devolution. Sir Hugh told the Policing Board the trends are the IRA is winding down.
The board is also likely to discuss a recent Ballymena murder and protecting the public from sex offenders. However, he said there was a "grey area" over whether IRA members engaged in crime were doing so on behalf of the organisation or for personal gain.
On Wednesday, a report by the Independent Monitoring Commission said the IRA had changed radically and some of its most important structures were dismantled. "I have no evidence to suggest they (Provisional IRA) have any intention of going back to an armed struggle in any way shape or form in terms of activities," he said.
If the police question is settled absolutely on a democratic basis and principle we would have come a long way along the road Ian PaisleyDUP leader Prime Minister Tony Blair welcomed the assessment, and he said that the IRA campaign "was over". "The grey area, as ever, will be activities undertaken by people who are members of the Provisional IRA which we would class as criminal.
He also said that Northern Ireland's politicians had a "unique opportunity" to reach a "final settlement". "And the question as always is, was that for the organisation or was that for the individual? But in broad terms I accept what the IMC was saying."
DUP leader Ian Paisley said he was encouraged that his party's pressure was working and if Sinn Fein signed up to policing there could be a deal. The Policing Board holds the PSNI to account
"If the police question is settled absolutely on a democratic basis and principle we would have come a long way along the road," he said. The Policing Board, which met in Belfast, also heard that sick leave cost the police service £30m in lost days over the past 18 months.
The two governments have given the politicians until 24 November to reach a deal on devolution. The vast majority of that sum, more than £23m, was due to the sickness of police officers, while the rest was down to civilian staff.
Established on 4 November 2001, the Policing Board holds the PSNI to account.
Sinn Fein has resisted giving the PSNI, the Policing Board and other institutions its support, insisting more legislation is needed before it can sign up.Sinn Fein has resisted giving the PSNI, the Policing Board and other institutions its support, insisting more legislation is needed before it can sign up.
The party said it needed to see more power transferred to local politicians before it would consider nominating representatives.The party said it needed to see more power transferred to local politicians before it would consider nominating representatives.
Established on 4 November 2001, the Policing Board holds the PSNI to account. The two governments have given the politicians until 24 November to reach a deal on devolution.
The DUP is still demanding Sinn Fein fully support the police before they consider any agreement.