RIR faces 'decent and honourable' end

Colonel Mark Campbell tells BBC NI Security Editor Brian Rowan in an exclusive interview that the decision to disband the Royal Irish Regiment is "practical", it is not about his regiment being "thrown to the political wolves".

The most senior officer in the Royal Irish Regiment believes the decision to demobilise the Northern Ireland based battalions is a "practical reality".

Colonel Mark Campbell said that the soldiers' service was being brought to a "decent and honourable" conclusion at a time when Northern Ireland was moving towards normality.

Colonel Mark Campbell said it was a practical decision

He did not accept that soldiers were being "thrown to the political wolves."

"This is clearly a security issue," he said.

"We are approaching a point where the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be able to provide the security and law enforcement to the province without routine military support."

The colonel said it was unfair to view the decision as the Royal Irish being delivered "on demand from Sinn Fein".

"The RIR and its predecessor, the UDR, came into place in 1970 when this was a very dark place and we all remember the violence that was visited on our community in the 70s, 80s and 90s," he said.

He said the soldiers' role had been "critical" and he argued that it was largely because of them that those who would use force to achieve their ends were unable to do so.

"I would argue it was largely because of the commitment of the UDR and the RIR Home Service that those who would use force have now turned away from force," he said.

The colonel accepted that there were members who stepped outside the law and who let the wider regiment down.

Colonel Mark Campbell told Brian Rowan the decision was practical

"There were clearly some bad apples in the barrel and those bad apples sometimes turned to distasteful, despicable terrorist acts," he said.

"I just wish to reiterate that I, and all other members of the regiment, utterly condemn those individuals. They let us down, they let society down. And they really needed to get their just desserts in terms of legal process."

But he said that everyone in Northern Ireland owed the regiment a debt.

"I think members of the republican community, they may wish to accept or may well not wish to accept it, also owe a considerable debt," he said.

"Had they succeeded in achieving their aims through violence, I think this would not have been a very pleasant place to live.

"It is because of the bravery and courage of those who stood and put themselves in harm's way in difficult times that we are where we are today."

I think we need to embrace a bright, new, democratic future and that will not be assisted by one side claiming victory over another and mud slinging Colonel Mark Campbell

The colonel said a verification process would take place, following last week's IRA statement .

However, once peace had been confirmed in Northern Ireland, the batallions were no longer needed.

To retain them, in such circumstances would, he said, be "dishonourable".

Colonel Campbell said it would be two years before demobilisation. But he said he was committed to a process of redundancy, resettlement and after-care for soldiers.

"It will be an effective package which will deal honourably and decently by soldiers and also remember their ability to transfer into the rest of the army and continue to effect their expertise, should that be possible," he said.

The colonel said he would remember the regiment with "great honour and pride".

The RIR's NI-based battalions are to be disbanded

They had conducted their business with "professionalism and integrity", he said.

"They have helped to achieve today a great step towards a society within Northern Ireland that we should all be proud and happy to belong to.

"One whereby the police service, the civil police service can conduct their business and maintain law and order without military support and that is an end state we should all aspire to," he said.

Asked if the conflict in Northern Ireland had been a "war with no winners", Colonel Campbell said there was nothing to be gained by one side claiming victory over another in Northern Ireland.

"I think we need to embrace a bright, new, democratic future and that will not be assisted by one side claiming victory over another and mud slinging," he added.