The Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade and Minister for Defence, Helen McEntee have today welcomed the publication of the Eighth Report of the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC)
- Published on: 9 December 2025
- Last updated on: 9 December 2025
The IRC reports that for the first time since 1969 no security related deaths were recorded by police in Northern Ireland; violent crime linked to paramilitarism has declined over 2024/2025; and the Northern Ireland-related Terrorism Threat Level has remained stable at ‘substantial’ since March 2024. While these are welcome signs of progress, the IRC continues to view paramilitarism as representing a live and serious threat to individuals and society. The IRC believes that dedicated attention, resources and focus remain a requirement to bring paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland to an end.
Speaking on the Report’s publication, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O’Callaghan stated:
“I would like to thank the Commissioners for their Report. This Eighth Report shows that, while considerable progress has been made to reduce the scale of paramilitarism, this reduction has not resulted in the complete removal of paramilitary groups, and the harm they inflict, from communities in Northern Ireland.
“2025 marks the tenth anniversary of the Fresh Start Agreement. Since then, sustained, focused and collaborative efforts to tackle paramilitary groups have given us real results, however, there is still work to be done. The Commission, through its engagement on the ground and annual reporting, provides valuable insights to help us gauge the success of measures and informs the direction of future work to tackle paramilitary activity.
“It is completely unacceptable that, in 2025, paramilitary groups continue to exist and commit serious crimes within certain communities. I’m pleased that the Commission views the situation concerning paramilitarism in Northern Ireland today as reducing in size and scale. This is the first year that a security-related death has not been recorded in Northern Ireland in the reporting period of the Commission - a very positive development that should not be taken for granted. I acknowledge the concerns of the Commission that paramilitarism remains resilient and continues to pose a risk to society and is manifesting in new areas including in violent racist attacks. There is no room for complacency while this threat to our communities remains.
"I note the Commission welcomes the new cross-border policing strategy for 2025-27 and recognises the value in our authorities, North and South, maintaining a collaborative approach including through the Joint Agency Task Force.
“I also note the Commission’s welcome for the joint appointment by the Irish and British Governments of Fleur Ravensbergen in September as the Independent Expert to assess whether there is the basis for a formal process of paramilitary group transition in line with previous recommendations by the Commission. I look forward to receiving the report on the outcome of this exercise in the Autumn.
“We will continue to work with the authorities in Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Independent Reporting Commission on tackling this complex problem.”
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Helen McEntee, added:
“I thank the Commissioners and all those who engaged with them for the publication of this important report. While it is welcome that violent crime linked to paramilitarism is declining, it is intolerable that in 2025 paramilitary groups continue to inflict real and significant harm and damage to communities. The Commissioners also rightly highlight the deeply worrying development of the participation of individuals, and groupings of individuals, with clear links to paramilitarism in racist violence.
“Ten years ago through the Fresh Start Agreement we renewed our commitment to working together in tackling paramilitary activity and organised crime in Northern Ireland, a commitment that remains absolute. We need to continue to make sure that collectively we are doing absolutely everything possible to bring paramilitarism to an end. The detailed work of the IRC is crucial in ensuring that we keep this in strong and effective focus.
“Since the last report of the IRC, and consistent with their previous recommendations, the two Governments have appointed Fleur Ravensbergen as 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. This independent work has begun and we look forward to receiving her report next summer.”
The Eighth Report is available at: https://www.ircommission.org/publications
Notes
The IRC was jointly established in 2017 by the Governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom following the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement. The Fresh Start Agreement aims to address the complexities underlying the continuation of paramilitarism in Northern Ireland, and it contains the resolute commitment to ending paramilitary activity ‘once and for all’. It is mandated to report annually.
The Northern Ireland Executive published the Executive Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime in July 2016 on the basis of recommendations from an expert panel. It contains 43 commitments in response to the Panel’s recommendations. The Executive agreed a second phase of the Tackling Paramilitarism Programme which began in 2021 and will run until March 2027. [Now titled “Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime”.]
To facilitate monitoring of the implementation of measures to address paramilitarism, including the Executive Programme, the Fresh Start Agreement provided for the establishment by the two governments of the IRC. Legislation was enacted in Ireland and the UK to establish the IRC.
The IRC’s functions are to:
- report annually on progress towards ending continuing paramilitary activity connected with Northern Ireland (or on such further occasions as required)
- report on the implementation of the relevant measures of the three administrations – critical here is the Northern Ireland Executive’s Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime; and
- consult the UK Government and relevant law enforcement agencies, the Irish Government and relevant law enforcement agencies and, in Northern Ireland, the Executive, PSNI, statutory agencies, local councils, communities and civic society organisations
The IRC is a four-member body. Mr. Tim O’ Connor, former Secretary General to the President was nominated by the Irish Government. The UK Government nominated Mr. Mitchell Reiss, former US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland. Prof. Monica McWilliams and Mr. John McBurney were nominated by the Northern Ireland Executive.
Report Recommendations
In the Eighth Report the IRC has made three recommendations. These are:
- Sustained, strategic investment in the criminal justice system is required.
Which would encompass:
a) Introducing organised crime legislatioN
b) Maintaining law enforcement cooperation and focus
c) Increasing investment in neighbourhood policing
d) Expanding problem-solving justice
2. A particular focus on paramilitarism needs to be maintained after the end of the Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime in March 2027
This should include:
a) Policy decision-making for departments and statutory bodies should include a requirement to consider the impact of their work on tackling paramilitarism
b)Specific consideration of tackling paramilitarism in investment and funding decisions to support community development and resilience
3. A whole-system approach to tackling paramilitarism, with collaboration, suitable structures, and ownership of responsibilities is required.
To achieve this the Commissioners, recommend that:
Programme oversight structures must deliver a whole-system approach, with central coordination in place that brings together all relevant departments.