‘Ultimately, it does not depend on words alone’

THE IRA’s commitments would have to be tested before political institutions in the North were restored, the Government said last night.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern said the international decommissioning body (IICD) and the independent monitoring commission (IMC) are vital to ensure that the IRA has destroyed its arms and ceased all activities.

"Ultimately, it does not depend on words alone," Dermot Ahern briefed journalists yesterday. "The statement will be validated and verified by the IMC and IICD."

Dermot Ahern said he believed that decommissioning will take place very rapidly. IICD head John de Chastelain has already met the IRA intermediary (believed to be Brian Keenan). The Irish Examiner understands that a major act of decommissioning will take place in the next 36 hours.

As the IRA statement made clear yesterday, the act will be witnessed by two clergymen one Protestant, the other Catholic but no photographs nor video footage will be permitted.

Already, DUP leader Ian Paisley has referred critically to his demand for 'visible' confirmation. It's an early indication of the difficult task ahead for the two governments as they try to persuade the two main unionist parties to re-engage with SF.

The governments will also seek verification that the IRA has ended punishment beatings and shootings and allied criminal activities.

In their joint statement yesterday, the two governments announced that the IMC would bring forward its March 2006 report by two months, to January 2006.

That also gives a strong signal of the timing of all-party political talks aimed at restoring devolution to the North. If the Provos are given a clean bill of health, the governments feel they will have had sufficient time to engage with the sceptical DUP and UUP to convince them to become involved in talks.

In return for severing its links with violence and illegal activities, republicans have wrung a number of concessions from both Governments.

Arrangements to extend an amnesty to about 40 on-the-run IRA fugitives should be put in place by Autumn, both North and South. Among those who will benefit is man wanted in connection with the Eniskillen bombing in 1987. Also included is senior SF figure Rita O'Hare, who jumped bail in the North 30 years ago.

However, the Irish Government made clear that two additional IRA fugitives alleged to have been involved with the gang who killed Garda Jerry McCabe will not be included.

The other confidence-building measure: the dismantling of military installations in the North and withdrawal of troops, is expected to proceed quickly, Northern secretary Peter Hain confirmed yesterday.

However the quid pro quo for SF accepting policing arrangements is more problematic. It will need to convene a special Ard Fheis unlikely to take place until Spring 2006 to get approval for any deal on policing.