UK and Irish governments urged to negotiate paramilitary disbandment in Northern Ireland

The report, published Tuesday, stated that groups should not receive financial rewards for participating in the process. Ravensbergen, a lecturer at the University of Amsterdam, concluded that there is "sufficient merit in and support for a formal process of paramilitary group transition" and found "significant willingness to engage" among paramilitaries during a year-long scoping exercise.

While the term "disbandment" faced limited support as an endpoint, Ravensbergen noted that objections appeared to be more about wording than the ultimate goal. She argued that the risks of persistent paramilitary structures, continued drift, and unmanaged fragmentation outweigh the risks of attempting a structured, time-bound transition, stating that "inaction is not a neutral option."

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant thanked Ravensbergen and affirmed the government's commitment to ending paramilitarism, noting that these groups are "largely engaged in criminality including drug dealing, extortion and intimidation." He stated the government would consider the report and liaise with Dublin before responding to the proposed mechanism, acknowledging that implementation would face challenges and require political support.

However, Northern Ireland's Justice Minister Naomi Long criticized the report's premise, stating that engagement with paramilitaries risks giving them a "veneer of legitimacy" and that the opportunity for genuine reform has long passed. The report did not identify specific individuals or organizations due to confidential discussions but noted that residual paramilitary structures continue to cause harm.