AQW 28912/17-22

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 28/01/2022
Answered On Date: 07/02/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Justice for her assessment of how successful the Executive Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime has been in East Londonderry.

Answer:

As you are aware, the Programme to Tackle Paramilitary Activity, Criminality, and Organised Crime is a cross Executive initiative, co-ordinated by a Programme Team within my Department. It is delivering a wide range of initiatives aimed at ensuring that all communities are safer, and more resilient to paramilitarism, criminality and coercive control.

The East Londonderry Constituency has not been an area of specific focus for the Programme. However, the Paramilitary Crime Task Force has been tackling the criminal activities of paramilitary groups, such as the North Antrim UDA, and has seen significant operational successes. In addition, there are a number of initiatives, such as the Aspire project, which operate on a Northern Ireland wide basis, and which people in the constituency can access. Projects such as this have been shown to play a vital role in supporting those who are vulnerable to paramilitary activity and harm.

Phase two of the Programme is continuing to deliver a diverse range of interventions. I am impressed by the strength of the collaborative effort being fostered under the Programme, which sees government and statutory agencies working together with an extensive range of community and voluntary sector partners throughout Northern Ireland. This builds on work to date and ensures that we take a long term, holistic approach to addressing the challenges associated with paramilitarism and organised crime.