Report to outline IRA's status

The British government will publish a report today on the status of the IRA as unionists and republicans enter talks on the future of the North's government.

The Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) is expected to find that the IRA’s ruling Army Council remains intact, but poses no threat.

But the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) leader Peter Robinson has said he will not meet republican demands for the devolution of policing and justice powers to Stormont until the final end of the IRA.

“I don’t believe that we are in that position,” said Mr Robinson.

“But we require the removal of the IRA’s army council and we’ve always made that clear.”

Republicans have dismissed the issue and insisted the IRA left the stage after it decommissioned weapons in 2005 and ordered its members to follow a political path.

The DUP and Sinn Féin leaderships are expected to meet for talks tomorrow aimed at avoiding a major crisis over the future of the power-sharing government.

They are divided over a series of issues including the devolution of justice powers, education reform, the future of the Maze prison site and the promotion of the Irish language.

Sinn Féin, which refuses to recognise the IMC, said the body’s contributions in the past have been unhelpful.

Leader of the party’s representatives in the Irish parliament, Caoimhghin O Caolain, today said: “Our ministers are working steadfastly and fastidiously to ensure commitments made in the Good Friday Agreements and the St Andrews accord are delivered upon. That is our focus.

“I have no doubt that every effort is being made by Sinn Féin and I hope that it will be met, if it hasn’t already been in part, in full by the DUP over the coming weeks.”

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

The DUP, however, has insisted it will not move on the issue until the circumstances are right.

Sinn Féin has threatened to pull its ministers out of the Stormont Cabinet if progress is not made soon.

The Assembly Executive has not met since June, but now Mr Robinson has warned of serious consequences if a meeting planned for September 18 does not go ahead.