Minister clarifies IRA position to Policing Board

The Northern Ireland Security Minister, Shaun Woodward, has sent a letter to the Chairman of the Policing Board, clarifying comments made at a closed meeting, on the position of the IRA.

The PSNI's most Senior Detective, Sam Kincaid, claimed that the IRA were still actively involved in organised crime, which contradicted Mr Woodward's statement last year saying that the organisation were inactive.

This caused outrage amongst Unionists who called for the Security Minister to resign.

However, in the letter Mr Woodward stated that comments on December 13 2005 were taken out of context and there was clearly a distinction to be made between the activity of individuals and the intention of organisations.

He said: “The point I have been making is that Government believes that the Provisional leadership intends to take the organisation in a different direction.

“I am clear, as are the PSNI, that there have been significant changes in PIRA activity, including in the area of criminality, since July. But there are complex assessments to be made in distinguishing between criminality by individual PIRA members for their own gain and criminality carried out by PIRA members, which is authorised by the organisation."

Mr Woodward added that it is the duty of the IMC to comment on these difficult issues, and this will undoubtedly be included in their report, due out at the end of the month. He also said that he fully supported the Chief Constable and his team in their bid to stamp out organised crime.

The Security Minister said that the breach of confidentially following the meeting and was a matter of considerable concern. He expressed how important it was that these meetings take place between Ministers and senior police officers in the future without risk of this happening again.

He added that due to the public interest, which had arisen since the contents of the meeting were revealed, he had discussed the letter with the Chief Constable who agreed that it should be made public to prevent further misconceptions.

(EF/SP)