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14 March 2011

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Monitoring Commission will not be missed as final report heralds closure

Raymond McCartney

THERE should be no “golden handshakes” on top of wasted millions spent for the members of the so-called Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC), which presented its final report to the British and Irish governments on Monday, Sinn Féin has said.

The IMC was set up in 2004 to report on activity by non-state armed groups but has been roundly opposed by republicans for having no basis in the Good Friday Agreement arrangements. Sinn Féin Assembly member and vice-chair of the Justice Committee, Raymond McCartney, said the IMC will not be missed and explained:

The IMC was established for no other reason to give political cover for anti-republican unionism and has proven to be a money-spinner for those involved with vast amounts of public money, to the tune of millions, being wasted on this organisation.

Raymond McCartney said the huge amounts of public money invested in the quango should now be redirected into frontline services given the reality of current economic difficulties.

And there should be “no further financial kick-back” for those figures involved in the IMC, the Sinn Féin MLA insisted.

Such a golden handshake cannot be justified given the amount of money the members of the IMC have already received.

Lord Alderdice

The IMC has produced 26 reports since 2004. Its final report looks at the last seven years, from January 2004 to March 2011.

Its four members are: former Assembly speaker and Alliance Party leader Lord Alderdice; Irish Government civil servant Joe Brosnan; retired Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner and Terrorism Squad chief John Grieve; and ex-CIA Deputy Director Dick Kerr.

The IMC will officially cease on March 31st.

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