Troop numbers will be halved, local British army battalions stepped down and army support for the police will end within two years under a radical demilitarisation plan announced by the Northern Ireland Office yesterday, writes Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor.
Non-jury Diplock courts will also be scrapped, as will all emergency legislation pertaining to Northern Ireland.
The NIO told The Irish Times last night that non-jury courts would be reintroduced if paramilitary threats to jurors ever returned, probably under legislation flowing from the September 11th attacks and recent terrorist bombings in London.
Northern Secretary Peter Hain published the three-phase plan yesterday linking it specifically to government "normalisation" papers released after intensive talks at Hillsborough Castle in March 2003.
Unionists, nonetheless, reacted with outrage, and the Rev Ian Paisley said it amounted to "a surrender to the IRA".
Ulster Unionist leader Reg Empey said the plan was "deplorable". The SDLP and Sinn Féin said it was sensible.
The Irish Government welcomed the move as a further step in the normalisation process there. A spokesman said it showed "further evidence of the benefits of the democratic and peaceful approach".
Announcing the measures, Mr Hain said: "In April 2003 the [ British] government set out proposals to normalise the security profile across Northern Ireland when there was an enabling environment. Following the IRA statement of 28th July, we are now moving quickly to begin that process."
He said his "first and overriding priority and that of the chief constable and the GOC is the safety and security of the people of Northern Ireland. We will not do anything that will compromise that".
Mr Hain added: "Provided the enabling environment is established and maintained, this programme will be achievable within two years, though if the conditions are right to move more quickly in implementing elements of the plan, the government will do so."
He said the programme "will see the creation of an environment which will allow the return of conventional policing across Northern Ireland".
The plan involves the disbandment of the three "home" battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment which was formed in 1992 from the former Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Regiment. Some 3,000 soldiers, many of them part-time, serve in these units.
Other measures include the closure of 26 of the 40 army sites in the North, and the cutting of troop numbers from 10,500 to 5,000. Defortification of PSNI stations will also be accelerated.
Lieut Gen Sir Reddy Watt, the British army GOC in the North, said: "The Royal Irish Regiment [home service] and their predecessors, the Ulster Defence Regiment, have played a crucial role in creating the enabling environment for normalisation to begin.
"Once the Police Service of Northern Ireland no longer needs routine military support, the three home service battalions will have successfully completed the task for which they were raised."
Chief Constable Hugh Orde insisted that the "civilianisation" of the PSNI had been progressing steadily in recent years and stressed he was not taking the IRA purely at its word.
He also called for prompt action by the IRA to put its weapons "beyond use" and for Sinn Féin to endorse policing.
"Decommissioning needs to be sooner rather than later," said Sir Hugh.
"The IRA needs to get its act together and so do Sinn Féin. The notion that local [SF] councillors are not allowed to speak to my local district commanders, who are trying to protect their community, is simply untenable," he added.
Implementation of the plan will be influenced by reports from the Independent Monitoring Commission and Gen John de Chastelain's reports on decommissioning.