Governments to assess 'direct engagement' with NI paramilitaries to secure their disbandment

Justice minister Jim O’Callaghan said: 'The two governments have agreed to jointly appoint, in the period ahead, within the existing IRC legislative framework, an independent expert to carry out a short scoping and engagement exercise to assess whether there is merit in, and support for, a formal process of engagement to bring about paramilitary group transition to disbandment.' File photo: Sam Boal/Collins Photos

The British and Irish governments have agreed to examine the feasibility of having “direct engagement” with republican and loyalist paramilitary groups in a bid to secure their disbandment.

The governments will soon appoint an independent expert to “scope out” and prepare the groundwork for what possible formal engagement would look like.