Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 May 2026
610. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for an update on the work of the Joint Independent Expert on Paramilitary Group Transition to Disbandment, in particular if the August 2026 reporting deadline will be met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32014/26]
View answerIn September 2025, following a joint selection process, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, and I jointly appointed Ms Fleur Ravensbergen as the 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.
The Independent Expert is operating within the existing Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) legislative framework and is expected to complete the scoping and engagement exercise and submit her report by mid-August.
On 16 February, I met with Ms Ravensbergen and she outlined that she is engaging at pace with a wide variety of stakeholders. Ms Ravensbergen indicated her expectation that she will submit her report on time in August.
The nature of her wider engagements is confidential, which is essential to the integrity of the exercise.
The decision by the two governments to jointly appoint the Independent Expert arises from the recommendation by the IRC in its Fifth Report (December 2022) that an Independent Person be appointed to assess whether there would be merit in, and support for, a formal process that ensures the transition to disbandment of paramilitary groups. On receipt of the Independent Expert's report in August, the IRC has been asked by the two governments to submit an ad hoc report on group transition by the end of September. I look forward to receipt of both reports and to engaging further with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on our joint response.
