Independent Monitoring Commission
Encyclopedia
The Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) was an organization founded on 7 January 2004, by an agreement
between the British and Irish
governments, signed in Dublin on 25 November 2003. The IMC concluded its operations on 31 March 2011.
The IMC submits formal reports to both the British Government and Irish Government
.
The body has faced criticism from Sinn Féin
due to the manner in which it was set up as an apparent sop to Unionists. In a debate in Dáil Éireann
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
referred to it as "three spook
s and a lord". Sinn Féin
have issued legal proceedings against the IMC, through their solicitors in London, Howe & Co
, alleging that the IMC Commissioners are "apparently biased" and challenging the IMC's application (or non-application) of a standard of proof in its assessments and reports presented to the two Governments.
Since its founding the IMC has issued 22 reports, including 3 ad hoc reports. Two ad hoc reports were issued on the initiative of the IMC, while one (the 19th) was requested by both state governments.
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
between the British and Irish
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
governments, signed in Dublin on 25 November 2003. The IMC concluded its operations on 31 March 2011.
Remit
The IMC's remit included:- monitoring any continuing activity by paramilitaryParamilitaryA paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
groups. - monitoring the commitment by the British Government to a package of security normalization measures.
- handling claims by parties in the Northern Ireland AssemblyNorthern Ireland AssemblyThe Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
that a Minister, or another party in the Northern Ireland Assembly, is not committed to non-violence and exclusively peaceful and democratic means, or that a Minister has failed to observe any other terms of the pledge of office, or that a party is not committed to such of its members as are or might become Ministers observing the other terms of the pledge of office.
The IMC submits formal reports to both the British Government and Irish Government
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
.
The body has faced criticism from Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
due to the manner in which it was set up as an apparent sop to Unionists. In a debate in Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Aengus Ó Snodaigh is an Irish Sinn Féin politician. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Dublin South Central constituency since May 2002, and is party spokesperson for Housing, Justice, Equality and Human Rights, and International Affairs.-Early and private life:A Dubliner and Irish language...
referred to it as "three spook
Spook
Spook is another word for a ghost or apparition. It may also refer to:* A term used to describe espionage agents or spies, originating in the United States of America* Spook Jacobs, a Major League Baseball player in the 1950s...
s and a lord". Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
have issued legal proceedings against the IMC, through their solicitors in London, Howe & Co
Howe & Co
Howe & Co Solicitors is a firm of human rights solicitors based in Ealing, London, England. The firm has in excess of 100 staff, and specialises in human rights cases, employment law, defamation, civil litigation, public law and personal injury litigation .-Background:The firm has 3 partners,...
, alleging that the IMC Commissioners are "apparently biased" and challenging the IMC's application (or non-application) of a standard of proof in its assessments and reports presented to the two Governments.
Since its founding the IMC has issued 22 reports, including 3 ad hoc reports. Two ad hoc reports were issued on the initiative of the IMC, while one (the 19th) was requested by both state governments.
Commissioners
Four commissioners were involved:- Lord Alderdice, former Alliance PartyAlliance Party of Northern IrelandThe Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
leader; former Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and current peer in the British House of LordsHouse of LordsThe House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. - Joe Brosnan, former Secretary General of the Department of Justice, Republic of Ireland.
- John GrieveJohn Grieve (police officer)Commander John G. D. Grieve CBE QPM is a retired police officer and university professor who is a member of the Independent Monitoring Commission that monitors the Northern Ireland peace process...
, former Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan PoliceMetropolitan policeMetropolitan Police is a generic title for the municipal police force for a major metropolitan area, and it may be part of the official title of the force...
and former head of the Metropolitan Police Anti-Terror Branch. - Dick KerrRichard James KerrRichard James Kerr was deputy director of the C.I.A. from 1991-1992.He was born on Fort Smith, Arkansas. Kerr had a 32 year career with the CIA which included involvement in the retaliatory bombing raids against Libya in 1986 and culminated with key roles in managing U.S...
, former Deputy Director, Central Intelligence AgencyCentral Intelligence AgencyThe Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
.
Chronology and list of reports
- 7 January 2004: Inauguration of the IMC
- 15 January 2004: Joint Declaration by the British and Irish governments
- 4 February 2004: Agreement between the British and Irish governments establishing the IMC.
- 9 March 2004: Statement by the IMC to clarify its role.
- 20 April 2004: First Report: reported 3 months early, at the request of the British and Irish governments
- 20 July 2004: Second Report
- 4 November 2004: Third Report
- 22 November 2004: First report by the Secretary of State under Section 11(1) of the Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc.) Act 2003
- 10 February 2005: Fourth Report: a special report on the robbery at the headquarters of the Northern Bank, Belfast, on 20 December 2004
- 24 May, 2005: Fifth Report
- 22 September 2005: Sixth Report: a special report on the "violent feud between the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Loyalist Volunteer Force"
- 19 October 2005: Seventh Report
- 1 February 2006: Eighth Report: a special report made at the request of the British and Irish governments
- 8 March 2006: Ninth Report: the first report under Article 5(1) obliging the IMC to "monitor whether, in the light of its own assessment of the paramilitary threat and of the British Government's obligation to ensure community safety and security, the commitments the British Government made in the programme are being fulfilled to the agreed timescale"
- 26 April 2006: Tenth Report
- 6 September 2006: Eleventh Report: the second report under Article 5(1), covering the period from 1 February to 31 July 2006
- 4 October, 2006: Twelfth Report
- 7 December 2006: Second report by the Secretary of State under Section 11(1) of the Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc.) Act 2003
- 30 January 2007: Thirteenth Report: an additional report made at the request of the British and Irish governments following the St Andrews AgreementSt Andrews AgreementThe St Andrews Agreement was an agreement between the British and Irish Governments and the political parties in relation to the devolution of power to Northern Ireland...
- 12 March 2007: Fourteenth Report: the third report under Article 5(1), covering the period from 1 August 2006 to 31 January 2007
- 25 April, 2007: Fifteenth Report
- 17 September 2007: Sixteenth Report: the fourth and final report under Article 5(1), covering the period from 1 February to 31 July 2007
- 7 November, 2007: Seventeenth Report
- 5 March 2008: Third report by the Secretary of State under Section 11(1) of the Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc.) Act 2003
- 1 May 2008: Eighteenth Report
- 3 September 2008: Nineteenth Report: an ad hocAd hocAd hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
report giving a further assessment of the PIRA leadership structure
- 7 October 2008: Fourth report by the Secretary of State under Section 11(1) of the Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc.) Act 2003
- 10 November 2008: Twentieth Report
- 7 May 2009: Twenty-first Report
- 4 November 2009: Twenty-second Report
- 26 May 2010: Twenty-third Report
- 15 September 2010: Twenty-fourth Report: a special report regarding the murder of Bobby Moffett
- 5 November 2010: Fifth report by the Secretary of State under Section 11(1) of the Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc.) Act 2003
- 2 March 2011: Twenty-fifth Report: the IMC's final report
- 16 March 2011: Sixth report by the Secretary of State under Section 11(1) of the Northern Ireland (Monitoring Commission etc.) Act 2003