It rather depends which paragraph you read, one contradicts the other!
All of the AICs and policy statements detailing the change over seem to have dissappeared!
It was promulgated as early as 1997 that all training for licenses and ratings would be in accordance with JAR-FCL from Jan 2000. JAR FCL 1.495 details the 36 month validity for ground exams for the issue of an IR.
"Do not assume that everyone automatically adds the IR within the 36 months"
You are the one who has made an assumption, only to find that it has not been the case for the last 3 years!
According to LASORS para 2 you still have the next 12 months to add an IR. It can be Single or Multi, both count as an IR. I would still check with the CAA exam section as they have quoted the 36 month criteria to other people.