Another act of IRA disarmament is "likely", according to Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the outgoing chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Sir Ronnie, who ends his tenure as chief constable on Sunday, said he hoped the IRA would shortly put more of its arsenal beyond use. His comments are in line with predictions from other security, political and republican sources that the IRA will follow up its decommissioning act of last October.
"I think that is likely to happen and will be yet another step along the road to normality," he said. "I think it is a real possibility, and I would not put it any more strongly than that. We have made a tremendous amount of progress and I would expect further progress."
Sir Ronnie, when asked was his departure marred by incidents such as his dispute with the Police Ombudsman Mrs Nuala O'Loan about the RUC handling of the Omagh bombing investigation and the break-in at Castlereagh replied: "I wouldn't have written that script, and sometimes I ask myself who is writing this script."
He said he was "grossly embarrassed" by the Castlereagh break-in but it was unhelpful to engage in speculation about the incident until the current inquiry was completed. "It is a very serious incident. I am deeply concerned about it. I deeply regret that it happened," he added.
While Omagh was still an issue, he had the "highest regard for the Ombudsman as a person and a professional. We are professional people and we get on with our professional relationship."
His dominant feeling and hope was that the policing dispensation had succeeded. By implication he appealed to Sinn Féin to support the police and join the Policing Board. "I hope all members of all communities, all political parties, will come in a very short time to give their support to the policing arrangements," he said.
"Because if anyone withholds supports, that somehow diminishes the full effectiveness of policing. I think it is time for everybody to take up their responsibility and work within the policing mechanisms that have been provided by the Secretary of State."
Sir Ronnie, who is to take up an inspector's post with Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary shortly, made his comments at Stormont where he held his last official meeting with the Northern Secretary, Dr John Reid.
Dr Reid said Sir Ronnie was one of the "most dedicated, committed and professional officers in the history of the RUC, and now of the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
"In over 30 years of committed service, Ronnie Flanagan has worked his way through the ranks in some of the very worst of times, and hopefully has brought us into some of the best of times."
