Ulster Unionist Ards Peninsula councillor Pete Wray has welcomed the publication of the Independent Report on Paramilitary Group Transition to Disbandment on behalf of Ulster Unionist Party.

Councillor Wray said:

“We welcome the publication of Fleur Ravensbergen’s report, which follows her engagement with victims, survivors and their representatives, communities, political parties, statutory agencies and paramilitary groups. For the Ulster Unionist Party, the needs and voices of victims and survivors must remain central to any consideration of a way forward, with sustained support for those who continue to live with the consequences of paramilitary violence and intimidation.

“The recommendation that the UK and Irish Governments develop an independent, time-bound transition mechanism requires careful consideration. Clear milestones, independent verification and public reporting must underpin any process. There must be no legitimisation of paramilitary organisations.

“Supporting young people must be a priority. Better opportunities in education, employment and community leadership can protect them from exploitation and give them confidence in their future.

“This requires increased resources to build resilience in working-class communities affected by organised crime and paramilitarism, alongside support for victims. Neighbourhood policing must be central to this work, with protected resources so dedicated officers can maintain a consistent presence, build trust and respond to local concerns, rather than being routinely diverted elsewhere.

“Investment must benefit communities. There must be no financial incentives, prisoner releases or sentence reductions offered to paramilitary organisations or individuals as a reward for engagement or disbandment. Robust, lawful enforcement against any and all criminality must continue throughout, with clear political backing. Participation in any process must provide no protection from investigation or prosecution.

“There are practical challenges. Groups may move at different speeds and follow different paths. Leaders willing to engage may struggle to bring their grassroots membership with them. Any engagement must be subject to clear safeguards and careful scrutiny, without conferring legitimacy, status or authority on these organisations.

“For the Ulster Unionist Party, the endpoint must be genuine disbandment: structures dismantled, names retired and visible signs of coercive control removed. Cosmetic rebranding or the continuation of paramilitary influence through successor bodies would be unacceptable. Individuals genuinely seeking to leave must have a credible route out, without removing accountability for criminal conduct.

“We thank Fleur Ravensbergen for her work on this report. In terms of the proposals that follow, we will be guided by the needs of victims, effective neighbourhood policing and support for young people. Success must be measured by safer communities, an end to paramilitary control and a better future for the next generation.”