The latest report of the Independent Monitoring Commission dealing with paramilitary activity in Northern Ireland since last summer was delivered in London and Dublin today.
The UK cabinet will discuss it at its weekly meeting tomorrow and it is due to be made public on Wednesday when it will be presented to the House of Commons.
The IMC’s latest report will assess what paramilitaries have been up to since the IRA called off its campaign and addressed weapons decommissioning.
The IMC's views on the IRA are particularly significant because unlike loyalists, republicans have a party with more than 20 seats in the suspended Assembly.
For months a variety of leaks have suggested the IMC will report significant change on the IRA's armed campaign.
But it will echo police concerns about IRA links to criminal activity including smuggling.
The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, used the phrase ‘incremental progress’ when speculating about the IMC report last Thursday.
It has been reported that the IMC will say the IRA is still engaged in criminality and that the paramilitary group is continuing to gather intelligence.
However, the report is also said to acknowledge that the group is living up to its commitment to give up its arms.
The four-person commission was set up by the two governments.
Its best known member is John Alderdice, former leader of the Alliance Party and former speaker of the currently suspended Assembly.
One of its main functions is to assess paramilitary activity.
It talks in confidence to a variety of sources including the police, the security services, and members of the public.
It also monitors media reports and it makes a judgement on all the information gathered.
