The Irish and British governments have been urged to appoint an independent overseer to engage with paramilitary groups still operating in Northern Ireland as part of a process to encourage them to cease to exist.
More than 26 years after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement a report published today makes clear that paramilitaries continue to operate and wield influence in many areas.
The report by the Independent Reporting Commission says coercive control and threats linked to paramilitary groups “persist and remain a real concern”.
It says this includes intimidation, financial extortion, sexual exploitation, creating communities where people are afraid…