IMC asked to publish report on paramilitarism unilaterally

12.00.00am GMT Wed 25th Feb 2004

THE Alliance Party is requesting to meet the Independent Monitoring Commission to ask it to produce a unilateral report into the alleged PIRA kidnapping of a 'dissident republican' at the weekend.

The legislation establishing the Commission allows the British and Irish Governments to request reports from the Commission on an ad hoc basis. However, the Governments have refused to do this, and simply moved publication of the first report forward by two months (to May).

Alliance Leader David Ford said: "The legislation states that the IMC can produce reports into paramilitary activity if and when it 'sees fit to do so'. Alliance believes that, given the seriousness of the situation and its potential to derail the Review, this would be a suitable time for such a report.

"We are also concerned that if a report is not published until May, this comes between the European election campaign and the summer break. It would be September before the issue was dealt with and the Review properly under way again.

"We cannot allow that delay. The Review has barely started and already it is looking shaky. The public expects all parties to get on with the job of restoring devolution, but that is difficult if the Government refuses to deal with the issues with the urgency they deserve."