2006 report to prove inactivity

FINAL proof of the IRA’s July commitment to end all its paramilitary activities will only emerge in January 2006 when the next Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) report is published, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Justice Minister Michael McDowell said yesterday

The latest IMC report, delivered to both Governments late on Friday, is understood to be generally optimistic about the inactivity of the IRA throughout August.

However, the report, which is due to be published this week, only deals with a small fraction of the time elapsed since the IRA’s historic July stand down. Consequently all sides will refrain from judgment on the validity of the IRA declaration until January’s report is published.