Hi RedChilli.
I think this topic's been done to death many a time before. My long-departed mum used to talk about the "initiation ceremony - I had to go through it, so you all will if you want to join the club". The JAA IR is a bit like that for a PPL. Relevance to the situation at hand is not required. For CPL and ATPL, I can see the point. But then the CPL and ATPL exams should cover those bits already, surely? Can a CPL or ATPL be relevant without an IR?
For me, flying is a hobby - an expensive one. I want to be able to fly IFR, when it's safe (and to know when that is). There is no way I would contemplate a JAA IR with all the palaver and extended IQ/memory tests that entails. Nor would I want an IR that involves the full flight test (and a fee in the order of £500) every year.
The IMC rating does most of what I want, but isn't valid outside the UK.
So I did the FAA IR, and am looking round for an N-reg single. I'm hoping our group will move the group Arrow to the N reg (we have a US citizen associated with the group, so that bit's done).
I wish you joy with the campaign with AOPA-UK, but don't hold out much hope.