northern Ireland’s Paramilitary Legacy Faces new Scrutiny with Expert Panel
BELFAST – A new expert panel has been established to address the continuing influence of paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland, 27 years after the Good Friday Agreement, Justice Minister Naomi Harris announced today. The initiative aims to potentially “draw the history of paramilitarism in Northern Ireland to a close,” according to prepared remarks.
The move comes amid renewed focus on the enduring impact of both republican and loyalist paramilitary organizations, which continue to engage in organized crime, intimidation, coercive control, and illegal money lending, affecting approximately 20% of communities across Northern ireland. While the 1998 Good Friday Agreement brought an end to much of the large-scale violence of The Troubles, critics have long argued that failing to fully address paramilitary structures allowed a level of criminality to persist that is not seen elsewhere in the UK or Ireland.
Harris acknowledged some opposition to the panel’s appointment but stated she respected those views. She emphasized the need to find “every credible avenue” to alleviate the daily intimidation, fear, and violence experienced by residents living under paramilitary control.
A recent report by the UK parliament’s Northern Ireland Affairs Committee (NIAC) described the harm caused by paramilitaries as an “enduring and malignant legacy of the Troubles,” noting the cost of living crisis has exacerbated vulnerabilities, with groups exploiting individuals like single mothers in precarious financial situations.The panel’s work will build on this assessment, seeking pathways to dismantle the remaining structures and influence of these groups.
