Sinn Fein Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Congressman Joseph Crowley, Chief Deputy Whip and Co-Chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Ireland

"Today, the peace process in the north of Ireland has taken a momentous step forward with the full decommissioning of the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Two months ago, the IRA announced they would put all their weapons beyond use and cease all paramilitary activity and now they have lived up to their promise," commented Crowley.

In July, Crowley commended the IRA for ordering its volunteers to dump arms, cease all military activity and pursue their aims only through political means. This represents the first significant step forward in accomplishing this goal. Protestant and Catholic clergymen as well as Retired Canadian Gen. John de Chastelain who heads up the three member monitoring commission independently confirmed the full cache of IRA weapons.

"After today, groups who have used the existence of the IRA as an excuse to not restore the devolved government will be shown for what they truly are if they refuse to work with all parties. It is time to move beyond political or religious persuasion or their economic condition and join together in the interests of the people of the north of Ireland," continued Crowley. "I applaud the IRA for fully decommissioning all weapons and urge them to enter in the political process."